


To Fix Broken Hearts

by Graceful_Panda



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Jacques Schnee - Freeform, Weiss Schnee Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:35:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 43,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28982706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Graceful_Panda/pseuds/Graceful_Panda
Summary: Once upon a nightmare, the Schnee welcomed old family friends in their time of need; their young children formed a durable friendship over time that helped them through hard times and led to a blooming relationship, but everything fell asunder when the adopted girl got framed for something she didn't do.This story begins three years later she escaped Atlas and it follows her through the volumes as she aids team RWBY[I don't own RWBY, of course, I wish]Enjoy =)
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Coco Adel/Velvet Scarlatina, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee, Winter Schnee/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter 1

I wake up a little earlier than my alarm and I look at the clock, I really don’t feel like getting up at the moment...

_"Come on, sweety, your father is waiting for us."_

_I look up to my mother and I frown. "Do we really have to? I don’t want to come."_

_She sighs and crouches to meet my height. "We already talked about it, Nerys."_

_I look down kicking the dirt and I mumble, "I know, but… they hate us!"_

_She grabs me gently by the shoulders and I lift my gaze to meet her eyes. "It’s only the father, her mother is quite lovely; and it’s their daughter’s birthday, you could make a new friend!" she smiles and I follow suit, albeit a little hesitant_

_"Fine... I hope they have hot chocolate," in all response my mother laughs._

  
  


I get up shutting the alarm as it starts to vibrate, I groan sitting up then I go to the bathroom cleaning myself up; as I tie my hair in a ponytail, my eye falls on the silver bracelet with three snowflakes that I left on the sink, I think a little and I smile to one of my oldest memories.

_I’m walking through a deserted corridor of this humongous mansion blowing on the hot chocolate a kind butler made for me, when eventually I find a white haired girl sitting on the floor behind a column with her knees up to her chest, I recognize her and I stop in front of her. "Hey, what are you doing here? Isn’t this your party?"_

_She looks up, surprised and then she looks away. "Yes, it is but… I hate it."_

_"Oh… do you want some hot chocolate?"_

_She eyes the mug in my hands and asks, "Isn’t it yours?"_

_I shrug my shoulders. "You’re sad, I don’t like sad people. They make me uncomfortable. Chocolate cheers me up. So do you want it?"_

_She looks at me suspiciously but then she blushes. "I… yes… thank you"_

_I give it to her, sitting next to her. "No biggie, feeling better?"_

_She sips it and smiles. "A little, thank you."_

_"Stop thanking me. Hey!" I sit up, "Do you want to make stories about the grown ups we see?"_

_"Uh… isn’t it rude?"_

_I smirk and I reply, "It isn’t, if they don’t see us," she smiles as I stand, I help her up and then I follow her to the ballroom._

  
  


I start dressing for the day, when I start to button up my blue shirt I glance at a tie and I remember a nice anecdote from a seemingly distant time, if I'm not wrong, her sister should start the Academy around this time.

_"No, you’re doing it wrong."_

_I huff, my hands falling on my sides as I turn to look at my best friend. "Oh, excuse me, my queen, for I never tied a tie."_

_She snorts and comes up to me and starts helping me while I watch attentively her moves. "Oh, shut up, Nerys. When you’ll have to teach it to my brother you can’t fumble with it. Here."_

_When she finishes I look up in her eyes, she smiles and I feel the breath being punched out of me, then I notice how close our faces are and I blush. "… thanks."_

_"You’re welcome."_

_She steps back and I walk to the door, then I stop and I look back at her. "Hey, before I go, are you still going to teach me piano?"_

_"Of course. I promised, didn’t I?"_

_I smile and I reply, "Yeah, you did, but sometimes your lessons run late and you are too tired."_

_She thinks about it and then she nods. "I see. Well, I’ll do my best. See you later. Be good with my siblings."_

_I chuckle and I say, "I always am, Winter. Later."_

  
  


I sigh as I fetch my swords, I tie them around my waist then I get my jacket and while I raise my arms my shirt rides up a little, enough to make me see a large white line on the inside of my forearm, this time it’s a not so pleasant memory that resurfaces.

_"You ungrateful brat! I welcomed you here after your parents left, I gave you a roof, clothes, food! And you repay me by seducing my daughter?! I won’t allow it. Break it up or you’ll regret it!"_

_"No! And stop pushing me!"_

_"You don’t tell me what to do or not. I am the head of this house, you filthy animal!"_

_"Then you’ll be happy to know that your daughter is her own person! She decides who she wants to date! And just to clarify: it was your wife to welcome me here, you simply went along with it because it would help your PR! Hey!"_

_Suddenly I hear a crash and I feel pain on my back and my arm, followed by the sound of loud hurried footsteps and the door opens, a woman’s voice reaches my ears as I whimper on the bloody ground. "What the hell happened here?!"_

_"She slipped. I’ll call Klein," he walks out and the woman stumbles to find a broom, she gets the majority of the glass away and in a corner, then she kneels by my side_

_"Nerys, are you okay?"_

_"Yes, ma’am," I groan, "I just slipped."_

_"Nerys…" I look into familiar blue eyes, slightly unfocused but she is sobering up while she looks at my wounds._

_I grab the hand she has on my wounded arm. "I’ll marry her, ma’am. With or without his blessing," the butler chooses this moment to arrive and he helps me to the servants’ rooms._

  
  


"How naive I was..." I whisper as I get out of my suite and I walk through the halls towards my class.

In the end, he was right. I wished I broke up with her… that bastard...

I see a few new students and I sigh internally, I hear some commotion coming from the landing area, but I ignore it as I have to reach class.

Once I walk in I am surprised to see a man in my place. "Oh, Professor Mazarin!"

"Professor Port, what brings you here?"

"I’ve come to give you this," he holds a piece of paper for me, I take it and I read it quickly.

"Oh, alright. I’ll see you on Friday, guys. The headmaster is calling me," I hear a few groans while I snicker on my way out.

I walk in Ozpin’s office and I greet him, "Ozpin, why am I here?"

He chuckles and answers, "Right to the point, Professor Mazarin. Well, as you know, today new students are coming and tomorrow it will be their initiation and the day after they’ll start lessons."

I nod and I ask, "So?"

"I wanted to give you a heads up as to who will join us for the next four years," he shows me his scroll and I almost fall on my knees as I see familiar white hair and blue eyes.

"Weiss Schnee will study here?"

"Yes, I was surprised too, but then, if you think about her family… You know that first hand," I grimace as I nod.

"I hope she will be happy, here."

He smiles kindly and replies, "She is already making friends and she knows you. She'll be fine."

We fall silent when eventually I ask, "Why did you call me up, making me lose my first lesson?"

"No other reason as to annoy you. Have a good day, professor."

I huff as I turn around. "Thanks for the heads up." I grumble walking back in the elevator.

  
  


The rest of the day flies by as I give a few more lectures about the Grimms and nothing happens, so now I get my dinner and I take it to my balcony, I set it on the table and I sit on one of the two chairs, looking out at the sunset.

I see a few students coming in and I smile remembering my days in Atlas, then I grimace. While I eat my salad I see a striking group of four, but what catches my eye is the girl with the white hair, I smile and I finish my dinner before I go back inside.

  
  


(3rd person point of view)

The black haired professor goes on to prepare the lessons for the first semester, helping the failing students of the previous year before the start of term and eventually Monday arrives, with the new teams.

She is walking to her class when she hears commotion behind her, she ignores it as she sips her coffee; she is nonchalant because, well, she's the professor, nothing will happen if she is a little late. The noise is getting closer and closer to her, until she sees a white haired student running, soon followed by a few others, she seems out of danger until a blond boy bumps into her shoulder making her spill her coffee everywhere on her jacket.

"I'm sorry!" he shouts behind his shoulder.

She sighs and starts mumbling as she reaches her class, she takes a moment to gather her thoughts when she hears a loud voice.

"I heard that a former Vytal champion will teach us, isn't it great? Although, I wonder why they couldn't teach in Professor Goodwitch's place," the students start to think out loud, all but one, that notices the professor walking in.

Weiss almost gasps outloud as she recognizes her while she answers Yang's question. "To put it simply, I am good in the practical part of her lessons, but I would be useless trying to explain the theoretical part of it… other than that, I would make you fight day and night."

Everyone now is silent, studying the professor, Weiss even more so as she looks at the black haired woman, the same that watched her grow up with Klein and her sister, the same one that ran away just before the police barged in the mansion.

  
  


(Nerys' point of view)

I watch Weiss sitting shell shocked, I knew this would happen, let's hope for the best.

"Everyone, I am your professor of Grimm Studies, Nerys Mazarin. With me, you'll learn everything I know about those creatures and I'll help you finding ways to eliminate them efficiently. Any question?"

A boy raises his hand and asks, "Why is a faunus teaching us?"

I notice in the corner of my eye a few students tensing up, even one with a bow; my tail flicks annoyed and I raise an eyebrow, unimpressed "Let me refrase: an intelligent question?"

No one says anything so I nod. "Good. Let's start easy: do you have an idea as to how a Huntsman or Huntress should be?" I see a few timid hands raising and I choose a red haired girl "Yes?"

"I'm Pyrrha Nikos. A huntsman should be," a short haired girl shows a picture to her friends and Weiss, they mostly snicker while Weiss seems affronted, I almost smile, "honorable."

I nod. "Thank you, Miss Nikos. What about you?" I ask a guy in the back

"They should be dependable."

I point to another one. "Strategic."

I notice Weiss seems to get angrier by second. "Well-educated."

"Wise."

I clap my hands smiling, ignoring team RWBY's shenanigans. "Good, excellent everyone. Now, who thinks they are on the good path to become a Huntsman, woman.. erm… person?"

Weiss raises her hand and I soften my smile. "Of course, Miss Schnee. Would you like to be the first to tackle the practical part of my course?"

I point to a cage in the right side of the stage and she nods standing up. "Yes, professor."

"Perfect, you may change into a more comfortable attire. Be quick. Everyone else, gather your things, the lesson is almost over."

She walks out while everyone else starts chatting with their friends, I move the desk near the wall and I sit on it, five minutes later Weiss walks in in her combat attire.

Wow, I thought she would take longer…

I nod at her as I walk by the cage, unsheating one of my two swords. "Are you ready?"

she nods standing in a familiar pose that makes my heart ache, then I smile seeing Myrtenaster.

"Good," I break the lock and a Boarbatusk runs out.

  
  


The Heiress in the beginning struggles with the Grimm and in keeping her leader in check, but in the end she manages to eliminate it, I clap my hands and I say, "Good job, W-Miss. Everyone, lesson's over. I'll see you next time. Dismissed." I place the desk back in place while they start filing out, Weiss storms out followed by her teammates, when I am alone I sigh rubbing my temples. "This year is going to be fun."

I get my stained jacket and I walk out, before I start my journey back to my room I see the sunset so I walk to the terrace to enjoy it, a few minutes later someone joins me.

"Nerys?"

I turn around and I smile at a nervous Weiss. "Hello, Weiss. Long time no see."

She walks up to me with intent, but she falters as she comes short of me. "I need to talk with you as a professor."

I nod then I ask, "Is everything okay? Why are you here?"

She sighs and asks, "Why did Ozpin choose Ruby over me, to be team leader?"

I raise an eyebrow, surprised. "Why indeed, what did he see in her that you don't have?"

"Exactly!"

I sigh patting her head and I tell her, "Join me on the bench," she follows me to a bench nearby and once we are sitting down I tell her, "That man confuses me. There are a lot of things I find questionable but he does anyway. Like hiring me. Do you remember what happened back home?" she nods sadly and looks down, I grab her hand and I tell her, "Hey, it's not your fault, _Mausi_. The tale was spun so well, that everyone knew I "cospired" against your family-"

"But that's not true!" she exclaims interrupting me.

"I know, and you know. That's what matters. Ozpin when he first saw me was… odd. And then I continued meeting him. I already finished my studies at the Academy, going back wasn't an option, and he knew, so he offered me a job without even hearing my side of the story. Glynda wasn't very enthusiastic at the beginning; now we have coffee every now and again and we train together. She is ruthless let me tell you."

She snorts and then she asks, "So? What does this mean? How does it apply to me?"

I smile to her and I tell her, "It's a very brief story that suggests you give others a chance and you get to know them. You know you can be a brat."

"I am not a brat!" she haughtily replies.

I chuckle as she blushes. "Yes, you are, and a spoiled one. And they know this. So I suggest you show them the other traits which I personally love more than this facade. Ok?"

She huffs and mumbles, "Fine..."

I smile more widely and I reply, "I missed you, Weiss"

She smiles faintly and murmurs, "Me too" she goes to stand up but I gently grab her wrist.

"Stay, please. It’s been years since I last saw you and I would like to catch up, if it’s alright with you."

She sits back and we start to talk about the last few years. When I let her go the sky is dark, but her smile is bright, even though it's small.


	2. Chapter 2

It’s already a few weeks into the semester when I am informed of the Vytal festival taking place at the end of the second semester and thanks for that I know not to say anything to my students, I barely can manage Miss Rose on a normal day, I don’t want to excite her with news of the Festival, but I am often seen in Glynda’s lessons to the confusion of our students.

In one such occasion, I am watching over the duel between Mister Arc (I still have to forgive him for the coffee-incident on the first day of the semester) and Mister Winchester that proves to be a brute even in a duel.

I wince as he kneels Arc in the guts and goes to finish him with his mace, but Glynda stops them and gives them a lesson on aura levels chiding Arc in the meanwhile, dismissing them after she informs them of the Vytal festival, I take this as my clue to walk down the steps to join team RWBY and JNPR since the others are already out of the classroom.

"Professor Mazarin!" Rose exclaims seeing me.

I smile and I greet them, "How’s it going?"

"Didn’t you see? I got pummeled by Cardin and -"

I scoff and I flick my tail to the blond's face, interrupting him effectively. "An easy victory for Mister Douchebag, indeed. So what can you do?" Everyone looks at me surprised and I ask, "What? You can’t expect me to be kind with him after everything he does to us."

Weiss smirks and replies, "Well, it’s the first time we hear you expressing such sentiment, so excuse us if we are surprised."

I chuckle while they shift their gaze to Weiss. "You know each other or…?" Xiao Long asks.

Weiss nods and answers, "My mother took her and her mother in when her father died… She was my sister’s best friend and, even if she had to be our maid, she is also a… friend."

I smile concealing the sadness, and I nod at their questioning looks, then I say, "Well… my father died and my mother had to disappear because of, you could say, the animosity between Atlas’ nobility and businesses and faunus like us. But our mothers were friends."

"So you worked for the Snow Angel here?" Arc asks and I wince at the glare Weiss throws him.

"Well, yes, but I didn’t do much when her father wasn’t around." I wink at the Heiress and she almost giggles.

"So! You are a champion of the Vytal festival, can you tell us more?" Rose asks excitedly.

"I could, but I would like it to be sitting down and not starving. I can talk about it tomorrow in my lesson, alright? I would love to do favoritism but I don’t want trouble with the higher ups."

They chuckle and then Nikos asks, "Professor, will you help us prepare for the tournament?"

I shrug my shoulders and I reply, "Why not? It would be fun."

Xiao Long and Rose high five each other while the others cheer, I look at the hour and I tell them, "Alright, time to eat. Go have lunch." at this they almost run out of the room, only Weiss stays behind with me with a strange look in her eyes.

"Is everything ok? You seemed a little… sad when I was explaining our past. Shouldn't I have said it?"

I pat her head. "I’m fine, don’t worry, Princess."

She glares at me halfheartedly but then she smiles. "Are we still on for Friday?"

"Of course, we have to catch up on our weekly hot chocolate tradition"

While we walk side by side she tells me a little shyly, "You know… Winter tried to keep it up when she was home, but without you it wasn’t the same."

I feel an icy knife twist in my guts but I put on a smile and I reply, "Now, we can continue."

"But isn’t it strange without Winter?"

"We can’t exactly call her and make her come every week to have hot chocolate with us, Weiss and maybe… maybe it’s better this way," she looks up at me, confused, "I’ll tell you Friday."

"Alright..." we reach the cafeteria and we part ways, while she joins her friends with her lunch I walk up to the teachers’ table after I picked mine and they start to talk while I eat.

After I’m done I notice Winchester and his friends picking on a girl with bunny ears, I frown and I stand up walking up to them, they must feel my rage and hear my steps since they turn around to look at me, the light is starting to decrease and shadows get bigger.

"And what do you think you are doing?"

Winchester sneers and answers, "We are just having fun, aren’t we, Velvet?"

The girl looks up at me with tears in her eyes and nods. "Yes, professor"

"Well then, I want to join in. With you in detention," they all stop what they are doing and I continue, "A huntsmen should help, not harm people no matter what. Saturday morning, in Goodwitch’s class. Do not be late. Now go away." they obey and once they are gone the light goes back to normal and I ask, "Are you alright?".

She nods wiping her eyes "You shouldn’t have..."

"I wouldn’t be doing my job, otherwise. And don’t worry, I’ll teach them a lesson." I squeeze gently her shoulder before I go away.

The following day, I sit on the edge of my desk as my class begins. "Alright, good afternoon everyone. Yesterday I had a particular request from one of you to talk about the Vytal Festival, since I am a former champion. Do you have any specific questions?"

Nikos raises her hand and asks, "What about the lesson?"

"Everyone is distracted by the news of the Tournament today. It would be mostly useless." I see a few of them silently cheer about not having more homework on them today and I smile.

Xiao Long asks, "So, who were you with? In you team, I mean."

"My three other teammates were Robyn Hill, Beauregard Antoniou and Zoie Steele."

"Team.. BRNZ? The first one?" one in the back asks.

"Yes," a few of them look at me in wonder but I ignore them "Next?"

"How did your matches go?" Valkyrie asks.

"Quite well, if I may say so. Obviously it wasn’t a walk in a flowery field, but thanks to teamwork we could reach the final and I had the time of my life fighting that Vacuo student."

Rose jumps up and asks, "Can we see the matches?"

"Nope, not now. It was a long fight, but I can show it later to whoever wants to stay longer in class. For the moment I can tell you that at first I wasn't sure that I would make it, I worked up a sweat. But I made it." she looks at me like I hung the moon and I chuckle, a few more of them ask questions about this and that.

Eventually Rose asks, "What were your weapons?" I smile and I grab the handles of the swords, I unleash the pair of shamshiri and I show them to the students, "Nice, can they be something else?"

"No, Miss Rose, because I would have to add things and ruin their perfected balance. I never had a problem with ranged weapons because I am quick on my feet."

She looks adoringly at me when Weiss says, "Yes, quite right. You were called the Dancing Shadow… it’s stupid."

I chuckle and I reply, "It was Zoie the one who gave me such nickname. Robyn is far worse."

"Can we see you in action, pretty please?" Rose continues.

"Patience."

"What’s your semblance?" I grimace at Belladonna’s question.

"I can control shadows."

They gasp and one of them asks, "Why don’t you like it?"

I purse my lips and I explain, "I don't particularly enjoy using it because it’s like I am commanding a second body while I have to fight something or someone and it could be a hindrance in the long run. I can also cover a space in the shadow and move around with no problem while the enemy is trapped, so it would be my usual move against Grimms, but nonetheless it’s very tiring for me to keep it up for a long time." Weiss raises an eyebrow and I shake my head letting her know to not open her mouth.

I answer a few more questions but then the bell rings, I watch a few of them walking out apologizing for having a prior date and I smile waving at them, I look around and I find a projector. "Well, let’s get this going, I think there is at least of a video of the final."

"There are several… what? I was old enough to follow the Vytal Festival." I glance at Weiss bickering with Ruby and Jaune, while Yang and Blake and all Team JNPR shake their heads amused, I focus back on the task at hand and eventually I find a video.

"Alright, shut up, everyone and move to the front row seats" they comply, mostly, team RWBY stays where they are since they are halfway, in the best (in my opinion) seats to look at the video, I sit next to Weiss as I play the video, she turns to look at me and I smile at her before I take a trip down memory lane.

_(Third person's point of view)_

_A younger Nerys is shown walking down the tunnel and entering the stage, so different from the older one, the hair that is way shorter on the sides while a little bit longer on the top glistens in the spotlights; swords on her back, she struts to her place, face void of emotions, only clear determination in her eyes; what catches the students attention is that she’s barefoot and the stark white waistband wrapping around her abdomen with the blue snowflake on her left side contrasting with the dark black, blue and red of her clothes._

("Professor, is that the Schnee’s symbol?"

"Yes, I… couldn’t show mine at the time, so I asked Weiss’s sister if I could use theirs."

"Can you do that?"

"Well, I lived with them for most of my life, they didn’t see a problem. Well, not counting Jacques, he was furious. It was hilarious. Now watch.")

_The crowd cheers for her and then they get louder when they see her opponent, a mountain of a woman approaches Nerys, a big axe on her back, they shake hands and then find their “corner”, the announcers proceed to introduce the girls before they both grab their weapons, when they are in poisition, the buzzer sets them off._

_The first few minutes see Nerys on the defensive, while her opponent tries to land a hit but gets deflected or dodged each time._

_"Come on! Hit me! Don't..."_

_The Vacuoan raises the axe but before she can bring it down, Nerys jumps kicking her in the face and ultimately making her stagger back while she swings down the weapon, the panther faunus easily dodges it and starts circling around her._

_"So you do know how to attack, I thought you could only dodge or use others to arrive here."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Oh, come on. You really think I would believe that a being like you could be here without help from the big wigs?" the student glances at the snowflake and that lits a spark in Nerys chest, she almost lashes out but she calms down realizing the intention of her opponent._

_"Yeah, right. Because Jacques Schnee would pay willingly for my tuition. Try again, lumberjack."_

_The other student looks confused at her. "Should that be an insult?"_

_Nerys smirks and jumps on her, with her left sword she blocks the panicked attempt to throw her off while she closes on with her right arm. "Nope," before her other sword makes contact she gets headbutted, "Fuck!"_

_She jumps back and then pars with both swords the slash aimed at her side, she jumps over it before the other tries to ram her with the shoulder, while her opponent is unbalanced Nerys charges at her back pushing her aura to her arms, she jumps up and comes down slashing a cross on her opponent's back, the other startled and in pain turns around with a wild hit and Nerys is forced to bend back, with the momentum she hits the ground and rolls back, as she stands up she watches surprised as the axe wielder pushes a button and the pole shifts until the blades are at its middle then they detach, effectively rendering the big-ass two handed axe in two shorter axes easier to maneuver, from the surprised look in her face everyone can see that Nerys didn't know of that option._

_The fight goes on, surprisingly her opponent gets more close calls than her smaller opponent, but then something unexpected happens; as the Vacuoan goes to hit with an axe, Nerys tries to parry with her swords, but she underestimated the strength of her opponent and both swords are seen flying through the ring, Nerys grimaces as both her wrists send a jolt of pain up her arms and she barely manages to see the second axe going for her head and instinctively she reaches up with her arm letting her aura flow in her limb, it's enough to stop the axe from going too deep in her forearm and push her back a little; both are panting a little as they take note of the situation, her swords are too far and she sees the blood starting to flow from the cut, her opponent is a little worse for wear with a bloody nose and cuts around her arms and a little one on her neck. "What are you going to do, kitty? Your swords are behind me."_

_The Atlasian student scoffs and replies, "I don't need them to finish this fight."_

_"You're right. Because I'm gonna end it!" time seems to slow down as Nerys notices something her running opponent probably didn't, as the other closes in she bends her knees a little and then sprints when her opponent is close enough, she jumps and grabs the other's shoulders using them to turn around and kick the girl's head to move away, she turns around and is surprised when the barbarian is still on the ring and very angry. "You thought you could pull it off a second time? Think again."_

_She doesn't let her respond as she throws an axe, following it, Nerys dodges the flying one expecting the distraction and ducks as the other is going to hit her, she backs down dodging her hits when suddenly she's hit on her back as the second axe returns in her owner's hand as Nerys falls on the ground hard on her front, the winded is knocked out of her and then she feels her back burning._

_"You should have studied better your opponents' semblances… mine's telekinesis, I wonder what's yours... Oh, and that's for the hit on my back, bitch"_

_She turns around and she narrowly avoids the hilt of an axe aimed to knock her out. "Tough luck, I won't use mine." the Vacuoan joins the axes and goes for the 'killing' blow, but Nerys surprises her by grabbing the flat of the blade and keeping her away with both hands._

_"You sure are a hard one."_

_"This could have killed me, idiot."_

_"I don't care, accidents happen."_

_Nerys frowns at that, so after a moment she nods. "Fair enough."_

_She turns the blade aside from her and rolls away, she sees that they are closer to the swords, so she scrambles off and manages to grab one, she can almost see the axe on her back, her face falls emotionless as she step aside narrowly avoiding the thrust, she grabs the hilt from behind and uses the force of the other to quickly spin around on her feet and slamming the butt of her sword in her temple, her opponent falls on the ground, unmoving save for her chest, after a moment of silence the crowd cheers at the new champion._

The students turn around to look at their professor and she blushes, mumbling, "I should have done better, I got hit too many times."

"Excuse me?" They all turn around to Ruby that continues, "You were great! You were hit only a bunch of times while you landed more on her, the difference was only in strength used! And look at that! You were clearly the champion from the beginning, you studied your opponent and noticed the way she was all offence and almost nothing defence!"

Nerys smiles and stands up putting away her things. "Thank you, Rose, you all can go now."

They thank her and quickly they get out, the professor smiles as she gets her scroll, without thinking she goes in the gallery and finds an old photo, it's her and a white haired girl side by side smiling at the camera, she sighs and turns it off before she walks out the room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You see "italics" and it's either Atlasian (German) or a phone call, you'll understand which is which
> 
> Enjoy =)

On Friday I hear knocking on my door. “Come in.”

“ _Good Evening, Nerys_.” I turn around and I smile at the Heiress.

“ _Hello again, Weiss. Come, the chocolate is almost ready_.” she closes the door and walks in. “ _how was your day?_ ” I ask her.

“ _Good, Ruby is finally starting to give me good feedback_ .” I smirk and I look at her, she notices it and she asks, “ _what?_ ”

“ _Ruby, eh?_ ” she frowns deeply.

“ _Yes, what about it?_ ”

“ _You like her._ ”

She blushes and exclaims, “ _How dare you?!_ ”

I chuckle and I begin to pour the chocolate in two mugs. “ _I am not blind, I catch you looking at her with the same eyes I_ ” I sigh, becoming a little sad, “ _I had for someone._ ”

She seems curious and then she asks, “ _Did you like someone?_ ”

I nod, she follows me to the balcony and we sit side by side looking at the view. “ _I did._ ”

She looks at me confused and after a few seconds she seems curious. “ _When did you realize it? How was it?_ ”

“ _I_ _don’t know when it started, it was gradual since the first moment I talked with her when I was 7 and sacrificed my hot choco for that 5 year old girl._ ” she stands still and I look at her worried. “ _are you okay?_ ”

“ _Okay?! You tell me you liked someone after years we’ve known each other!_ ” she frowns and she asks, “ _why did you never tell me of this girl?_ ”

I sigh and I answer, “ _Because you were still young and still liked your father for most of the time and he’s never been accepting of romances that weren’t between hetero humans._ ”

She remains silent and I let her be for a few more minutes, we drink in silence and eventually she asks, “ _Who was she?_ ”

“ _I… can’t tell you. I want to, but I would have to talk with her first but it’s been years since I last saw her and… it’s complicated. I hope you can understand that._ ”

She nods and then she asks, “ _Why did you break up?_ ”

I frown but before she takes it back I tell her, “ _We broke up because she believed your father. I bet he was behind ‘that’… he found out about me and he tried to intimidate me but I simply took it and refused to back down. Because of my hot headedness I had to leave you and Whitley with him and break up with her in the worst way possible. I miss her but… at the same time it’s better this way. She really thought I would conspire against your father when I… I simply couldn’t, because I care about you._ ”

“ _I believe you,_ ” she replies immediately.

I smile at her and my tail caresses her arm. “ _Thank you, Mausi_.”

She decides to ignore the old pet name but she does blush a little while she asks, “ _I guess I can understand why you kept it from me. Anything else I should know?_ ”

I scratch the back of my head and I answer, “ _As we got older and we matured I… wanted to move in a place with her and maybe adopt a pair of kids in the future._ ”

She turns around shocked at me and I smile bashfully at her. _“You were that serious?!”_ I nod, she scoffs and mumbles, _“she’s an idiot.”_

I laugh out loud and she smiles. _“You’re lucky, princess, I love you, or I would have told her. Let me tell you, she had quite the temper.”_

_“As you implied, she’s not here.”_ she smirks and we finish our drinks.

After a few minutes I realise something. _“Wait, we were talking about you and Ruby! You little snake!”_

She giggles and I smile, eventually she tells me, _“I don’t know… she has her moments but we barely know each other, and she’s two years younger so I really don’t know what goes through that dolt’s head.”_

_“That’s alright, you both are young and there’s time to sort your thoughts and feelings.”_ she leans on my side and I hug her. _“the matters of the heart are complicated, but if you want to talk about it with someone, I’m your person.”_

_“Thank you, Zari.”_ I smile and then I ask her about school.

(Weiss’ point of view)

When I get back to my room I am surprised to see Yang studying with Blake while Ruby is on her bed reading, she sees me and she smiles. “Hey Weiss! Where did you go?”

I start to change and I say, “I was with Professor Mazarin, to catch up.”

“You really are friends?” Blake asks, a little disbelieving.

At this I frown a little. “Yes, why?”

“It’s just that… Most of the faunus are almost slaves to your company and generally are treated as the scum of this earth.”

“Well, when I’ll manage the company I’ll change things. The professor and I talked a few times about this, when she was part of our staff. I was young so I couldn’t understand everything that was going on, but she taught me some things. And now I’m older, so we can continue from where we left off,” I reply.

“That’s nice. So you don’t have a problem with faunus?” Yang asks.

“I.” I falter a little, not so confident now. ”mostly not, but… it’s a long story.”

Ruby butts in “That you will tell us when it’s the right time?”

I nod and I let a small smile for her, she grins and I finish to change. “What are you reading, Ruby?” I ask walking to our beds, she jumps down and sits on mine and starts to tell me about it.

(Nerys’ point of view)

Saturday morning, I am in Glynda’s class standing barefoot in the middle of the stage and with my swords ready on my back, a frown on my face as I look at the entrance waiting for Team CRDL. When they walk in I notice that they all are nervous, Winchester tries to puff his chest as he asks, “So, what do we have to do, _professor_?” he sneers at my title and I smirk as they get on stage.

“You have two options to get out of detention: beat me, or get your ass kicked for 4 hours.” they freeze and my smirk gets bigger. “come on, show me what you’re made of.”

They brandish their weapons and I get mine before they run to me.

When the four hours are gone, I let them slip to the ground. “Well, at least you reached the fourth hour. This time I was generous, next I’ll take you to Ozpin and who knows, maybe he will make you volunteer to a Faunus organisation. We’re done, here. See you on Monday.” they groan and I sigh content as I leave the stage, I slip into my shoes and I walk out.

I walk aimlessly around the campus, I'm not in a rush to go back to my in-campus-apartment, when I see the rabbit faunus Team CRDL was bullying, she's alone going to the dorms so I quickly reach her “Miss Scarlatina!”

She jumps in surprise and she blushes when she sees me almost running to her side. “P-Professor? Is something wrong?”

I smile and I shake my head. “No, I was walking around and I saw you so I thought to talk with you a little. Are you heading back to your dorm?”

“Yes…” she answers hesitantly.

“May I accompany you? I wanted to talk with you about Team CRDL.” her ears drop and I find it adorable and sad at the same time.

“Yes, you may and... what about them?”

We start walking again and I glance at her before I ask, “Are they always picking on faunus?”

“I... Yes, ma'am.”

I frown and I reply, “Ok, call me professor Mazarin, professor or simply Nerys if you want. But not ma'am, it makes me feel old, Miss Scarlatina, and last I checked I wasn’t Goodwitch.”

“Alright, professor,” she answers chuckling and I nod with a smile of my own.

“Anyway, did they pick on you often?”

She blushes and nods. “Very often indeed”

I clench my jaws and after a few feet I relax enough to tell her, “Ok, so... I just got out of detention with them and I threatened them with volunteer jobs at faunus organisations.”

We stop and she looks at me surprised. “Really?”

I smirk saying, “I had fun whipping their asses. I hope they stop, or at least calm down.” we reach her room and it's open, I hear some noise coming from inside, I turn to face her and I ask, “I hope you don't get picked on, but I would like to know if they try something again with you or anyone else if you see them. Would you tell me, please?”

She hesitates, but then she nods, “Alright, professor. And thank you, professor.”

I smile at her and I pat her shoulder before I walk away, behind me I hear Miss Adel asking her partner, “Everything okay, babe?” I smirk mentally cheering.

“Yeah, all it’s good. Professor Mazarin was just checking on me…” as I round the corner I let out a big smile, already feeling the liens Port owes me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I posted this chapter but I didn't and like two seconds ago I deleted the google doc, then I remembered it and luckily I retrieved it immediately.  
> Gosh, I'm such an easily distracted idiot...
> 
> ANYWAY: remember -> "italics" Atlasian or phone call, it depends on the context.  
> =)

I wake up with a smile, I jump on my feet and I change quickly in a white button up and a pair of black slacks, I let my tail curl around my waist while I take my swords; I wash my face in the en-suite bathroom and after I brush my hair I go the cafeteria to eat something before the trip.

When I’m done with my breakfast I join Glynda at the doors of the school, I offer her a mug of coffee and she accepts it. “Thank you”

“You’re welcome.”

She sips it and afterwards she says, “These first years will be the death of me.”

I chuckle and I reply, “Oh, come on, they will grow on you.”

“Like mister Winchester to you?” I frown and she mumbles, “knew it.”

“Excuse me if I don’t particularly like little bullies.”

“You love the Heiress.”

“Her name’s Weiss and you know my reasons.”

She nods. “I do indeed.” she finishes the coffee before the first group approaches us, I recognise them as team JNPR, I wave at them and Valkyrie almost falls from Lie’s back to wave back at me, but Arc and Nikos keep her balanced.

I chuckle and then I turn to look at Glynda. “These are precious.” she sighs and I chuckle.

“Hello professors.”I smile at Weiss as she guides team RWBY.

“Good morning team RWBY, go take your place in the bullethead we are about to go.” Immediately Rose grabs Weiss and drags her inside while Belladonna and Xiao Long shake their heads at their leader’s behavior, team JNPR follows them, after a few minutes the rest of class comes out.

“We are ready, let’s go Nerys. Be on your best behaviour.” I follow the blonde grinning.

Once we are walking through the forest with the students trailing behind us looking at the surroundings, Glynda tells them, “Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful, but we’re not here to sight-see. Professor Peach’s asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside the forest. And we’re here to make sure none of you die while doing so.”

I nod glancing at the back of the group, we turn around stopping the group and I notice Jaune bumping into Winchester and I sigh at the glare the bully gives him, Glynda looks at me and I clear my throat before I say, “Each of you has to gather one jar’s worth of red sap.” I show a sample, then I add, “however, this Forest is full of creatures of Grimm so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous here at four o’clock. Have fun!” I smile as they start to branch out, I look at Glynda and since I’m bored I ask, “So, wanna make out?”.

(Weiss’ point of view)

I hear a slap and, turning around, I see a laughing Nerys while professor Goodwitch is rubbing her temples with a slight blush on her cheeks.

“Is professor Mazarin flirting with Goodwitch?” Yang asks, surprised, I frown as I follow her with my eyes and indeed it seems like Nerys is annoying the professor by following her around and talking with her and it seems Goodwitch is having none of it.

“I like professor Mazarin,” Ruby states as she passes me her jar while I give her mine to fill.

“I heard she is a favorite of the students. We are lucky to not have Port, it seems he likes to talk about how great he was in his youth and he doesn’t give much explicit details on how to fight a Grimm,” Blake adds.

“And now she is my favorite too because she is hitting on Goodwitch. She has guts.” Yang and Nora laugh and I shake my head.

“Hey Weiss, what was she like in the past?” Ruby asks me.

I ponder on it and eventually I answer, “She was… fun. Klein and her always managed to make us smile. Surprisingly she got along even with our brother, that little brat.”

“It must be a common trait…” I glare at Yang and she whistles innocently.

“Whitley is worse, trust me. Anyway, sometimes she had to take us out while my sister was busy with her ‘Heiress duty’ or something and it was nice, she would get us ice cream and play around. Then she would help me with my singing lessons, sneak me some sweets… then she had to go away.”

Blake furrows her eyebrows and asks, “What happened?”

“Long story…” she nods, not really convinced.

“How long didn't you see each other?” Ruby asks.

“I-I think it has been 2 almost 3 years.” I sigh.

“You really missed her, uh?” I nod closing her jar.

“She was… is family”

“Hey, Princess.” I jump as I turn around, our professor is leaning on a tree not far from us, she walks up to me and asks, “how are things?”

“All is done, professor,” Blake answers.

“Good, Goodwitch is wrapping things up with the others—”

We hear a roar and Ruby asks, “Did you hear that?”

A guy runs past us screaming, “Ursa! Ursa!”

He freezes and Nerys asks, “Where?” he points in a direction and afterwards he can run away, I notice the shadow moving back beneath her, Nerys runs preparing her swords and I look at Ruby.

“Yang! You and Blake, go get Ms. Goodwitch, Weiss with me.”

Pyrrha looks at her teammates and says, “You two, go with them! There could be more.” and then we split up, Pyrrha easily surpassing us.

We stop when we see Pyrrha blocking our professor and then Jaune defending Winchester although it is almost ugly to watch.

“Well, that's surprising,” Nerys mumbles, I look at her unimpressed and she replies, “what? I would have left the bully behind just for spite!”

“Is this a good moment to remind you that you are a professor?” Pyrrha asks, Nerys shuts up and readies her swords while Ruby and I grab our respective weapons, but the amazon stops us. “wait, let him have this moment”

“He's going to be cut…in…half.” we notice Pyrrha raising her hand, making Jaune raise his shield against the strike of the Ursa, our professor glances at the redhead and after a moment she smiles. “Nice trick.”

“What?/How did you…” Ruby and I start asking.

Pyrrha smiles bashfully and says, “Well, Ruby has her speed, you have your glyphs, my semblance is polarity.”

Quietly we can hear Ruby saying, “Ah, you can control poles.”

I look at her and I reply, “No, you dunce! It means she has control over magnetism!”

I catch a glimpse of Nerys trying to keep her laughter in and I dig my elbow in her side while Ruby mumbles, “Magnets are cool, too.”

Pyrrha starts walking and our professor follows, but I ask her, “Wait, where are you going?”

“Yeah, we gotta tell them what happened.”

She turns around and replies, “We could, or we could just keep it our little secret.”

look at Ruby and she shrugs her shoulders. “Lets go, Princess.”

“It’s Heiress.”

“Meh, same difference.” she grabs my hand we follow the others, not once letting me go.

Once we get back to school I walk to Nerys' side. “Today is Friday.”

“Yes, it is…” she turns her head around and smiles. “Hot choco?”

I nod and for a moment it makes me believe we are back on those good days in the garden, where there was Winter, even Whitley...

“Hey, Weiss!” I sigh while the memory falls apart, the rest of the team coming up to us.

Nerys looks at them and asks, “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, prof, we just wanted to make sure Weiss is in safe hands.” I glance weirded out at Yang but she ignores me patting my head.

“That's nice of you,” our professor replies.

“Yeah, so we were wondering if we could join you.”

I widen my eyes at Yang and then I sharply turn around to look at Nerys. “I didn't know they would ask this.”

After a moment of surprise she smiles. “Next Friday, today I want Weiss all for myself.” Blake sighs relieved while Yang and Ruby pouts, I almost melt at Ruby's expression but a firm hand on my shoulder stops me from speaking. “no pushing. We are being kind enough to let you come next week.”

“I didn't say anything…” I mumble.

She squeezes my shoulder and replies, “I know you, Princess, you would let them. But I don't want them to see the mess live in.”

“But you let the Ice Queen?” Yang asks.

“Of course, now shoo. Come, Weiss.” she sidehugs me and she starts dragging me away.

When I can function properly I frown. “ _So nosy._ ”

“ _They want to look out for you._ ”

“ _No, they just want some gossip on my family_ ”

She sighs, shaking her head. “ _Weiss…_ ”

“ _What? We aren't... close friends._ ”

She pats my head and as we are almost at her door she tells me, “ _Weiss, sooner or later you will have to open up to them. It doesn't change that they may still be a pain in the side, but… anything can happen in four years, meine kleine Prinzessin ._ ” I fight the smile as I glare at her, she chuckles and opens the door letting me in.

(Nerys’s point of view)

I start preparing the hot chocolate as Weiss stands behind me. “ _Would you fetch our mugs? They are in that cabinet._ ” I point it out and she goes to get them.

“ _You never told me of your team, but my teammates seem to know you. Tell me more? And what happened after the… scandal?_ ”

I smile and I tell her, “ _Team BRNZ. Your ideal team. We never got into serious trouble, but Robyn and I… we usually needed the other two to keep us in check._ ”

“ _You a troublemaker? How surprising,_ ” she says sarcastically.

I stick my tongue out at her and then I chuckle. “ _Anyway, you remember I fought in both editions while at school, and lost the first one._ ”

“ _Yes, I remember, you were so sad. Winter took it upon herself to cheer you up._ ”

I nod, glancing fondly at the girl. “ _And you did too, I remember you coming in my room with chocolate and cuddles._ ” she looks away, but I see the blushing cheeks. “ _anyway, your peers may know of us because we won the second time we participated and then because we did many hard missions together that made our team famous in the four kingdoms, but well… two years after we graduated, that scandal happened and my reputation was done for, so before my teammates were dragged through the mud because of me, I left._ ” I sigh, I finish to stir the chocolate and then I pour it in our mugs. “ _alas, I could have hidden in Mantle, they loved me after the ‘attempted assassination’ of your father, but… I would have been too close to Winter and I was too hurt._ ” we sit on my couch and I raise my mug, but I stop before I take a sip, I look down and I say, “ _Weiss, I… I'm sorry._ ”

She tenses up and she looks at me. “ _For what?_ ”

“ _Leaving you, and Whitley. I left you alone when you needed it most and what I did was incredibly selfish of me._ ” she grabs my hand and I look up to her.

She smiles faintly at me and says, “ _It's alright._ ”

I shake my head and I release my hand to delicately touch her scar. “ _It's really not._ ”

“ _Nerys, I'm fine. I don't blame you for leaving the mansion. What I do blame you for was the atrocious handwriting you had in that letter._ ”

I scoff and I pinch her cheek replying, “ _I dare you to write a letter with shaking hands on a wall, in the dark._ ” she slaps my hand away and glares at me. “ _you are such a brat…_ ” I mumble before I sip my hot choco.

“ _I am not!_ ”

“The young lady doth protest too much.” she remains silent, almost steaming from her ears, and I chuckle.

The Monday following the Forest ‘incident’ I am walking out of my last class and I see Mister Arc with his teammates going outside, I stop and then I decide to follow them, I approach them once they are in front of the statue.

“Good afternoon, team JNPR.” they turn around and they greet me. “I was wondering if I could borrow you, Mister Arc.” he jumps in his place and I notice the panic in his eyes, I chuckle and I say, “it's nothing bad, don't worry.”

He nods and we walk a few steps away from his teammates. “So, did I do something?”

“Well, technically you did. I would like to know what happened in the forest.”

He looks down, slumping his posture. “Cardin… has been bullying me since he found out something about me that I am particularly ashamed of, Pyrrha and our friends tried to help me, but that made him mad and he ‘asked’ me to find some of those Rapier Wasps.” I grimace remembering a not so pleasant memory, I think I can still hear Zoie’s scream. “so when we got to the forest Cardin told me to get the sap and when I did there was a jar left out, he wanted me to throw it at Pyrrha.” I nod, waiting for him. “I didn't do it, I threw it at him and after they beat me a little bit the Ursa appeared and I managed to defend him.”

“You've done well, Jaune,” I tell him, he looks up surprised and I smile. “that's what a true huntsman should do. Keep it up, blondie.”

He blushes and I laugh. “Hey!”

“Sorry, not sorry. Oh! Before I leave you, stop calling Weiss ‘Princess’, that's mine”

“Oh…”

"Have a good day, students!" I pat his shoulder and then I leave him to his friends.


	5. Chapter 5

It's Friday, I cleaned the mess that is my apartment and once the clock strikes 6 p.m. I hear some noise outside, then some knocks, I check myself while I walk to the door hearing some harsh whispering, I smile and I open the door and then I freeze taking in the scene, Xiao Long and Rose are fighting over a plate of cookies and Belladonna is trying to help her partner, Weiss is rubbing her temples and eventually she looks up. “Please, let us in.”

They stop what they are doing looking sheepishly at me and I step aside letting them in. “Welcome, team RWBY, my home is yours this evening.” they greet me and I point to the coffee table in the living room to leave the cookies.

“How was your day, Nerys?” Weiss asks me as she takes off her bolero and hangs it next to the door, the girls are a little surprised by her nonchalance and it doesn’t evade me the longer look Rose has given to my Princess’ back, she may be mostly petite, but even I can see how many hours she has spent training.

“It was good, what about you girls? Follow me, I’ll prepare our drinks.”

“Well, we had some problems with Cardin, and Ruby almost got in detention, again, but we avoided it in time thanks to Yang, surprisingly,” Belladonna answers me.

I frown while I start preparing the hot choco. “Why? What happened? And again?”

The sisters exchange a look and Xiao Long answers, “He wanted to start a fight, Ruby may be awesome with a scythe but not so much with only her fists and maybe that is for the better.”

I nod and I give my back to them. “For now, sure, but maybe you should start teaching her something, you know... in case something happens.”

“Yeah, I really should, and transform those little sticks in amazing guns like mine.”

I don’t even turn around to see if she is flexing her arms, Weiss’ scoffing is enough of an anwer. “I didn’t ask, I hope you are alright with a mug of hot choco.”

“More than that, it’s amazing!” Rose exclaims, I look at her in the eyes and she stops suddenly.

“You still have to tell me what you did to get detention. No professor told me anything.”

She chuckles nervously and says, “I may have attacked Cardin once and landed all of us in detention... “ she turns serious and mumbles, “But he was making fun of Weiss’ scar…”

I smile at her and I pat her head. “Fine, you are in the clear. I don’t want hooligans near my princess.”

“Nerys!” Weiss harshly whispers at me, I chuckle and I start chatting with them, well, with the sisters mostly, Belladonna is still a little weary.

Once we move into the living room with our mugs I take a seat on the only armchair while the others share the couch. “So, Weiss didn’t tell us much about your past, professor,” Xiao Long states.

“You were wondering why I left the Heiress?” after a moment they nod, I sigh and I say, “her father was never fond of me, and I of him. But her mother was a dear friend of my mom, so when my dad was killed we spent two years in their mansion, since I got to be friends with her sister…” I smile wistfully. “but eventually my mother had to go away.” Belladonna perks up and looks curiously at me.

After she swallows a cookie, Rose asks, “Why?”

“You see, my father was killed by the White Fang…” Belladonna tenses up a little. “or at least, that’s what they wanted me to believe. But I know better, someone sent a hitman and I have an idea as to who and, while the murderer was indeed part of the White Fang, it didn’t add up. As I studied, I found out that they were still peaceful in their protests during my fathers assassination. I was pretty clueless about everything at the time but my mother was looking for proof and I believe she found something but she didn’t have the time to see what was that and to share it. She told me right before she ran from home.” I take a sip of the drink and then I continue, “I was pretty sad but with Weiss’ birth I had things to occupy my mind.” I smile at the white haired girl as she glares at the sisters.

In the end Xiao Long asks, “Do you have embarrassing photos of the Ice Queen?”

I laugh and I nod. “Yes, but those are for another time. And by the way, at best she is the Ice Princess, her sister is a Queen.” I smile down but then I continue the story, “Anyway, Weiss’ mother was pretty easy going with my heritage, it was Jacque the problem but he went along with it because I was a good PR for him and the SDC, I didn’t care as long as I could stay with the siblings.

“But as time went on, I got really close with Winter and almost as I finished the Academy Jacque found out something about me and it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back and, he hit me a few times in the past so I thought he would be doing that again, but he decided to not hit me directly and produced some proof that I was working with the White Fang and was conspiring to assassinate him, after I graduated. Two years after my graduation.

They all sit still, shocked at that, I nod at their expressions. “Yes, he did. But I was quick, so before the police got to the mansion I got a few essential things, wrote Weiss a rushed half apology and then ran to her sister. Turns out that my best friend was still in Jacque’s web of lies and believed him or better, the planted evidence. Thus I risked again to be apprehended but with the addiction of a broken heart.”

Nervously Belladonna asks, “So what did you do?”

“I went to my other best friend, Robyn, and she helped me get a ship to Vale and here I found Ozpin who offered me a stable job.”

“Does the rest of your team know the real story?” I nod at Xiao Long’s question and then I look at Weiss.

“You okay?”

“Yes, it’s just… I know how my father is and what my mother has become, but Winter? She was your best—”

“Hey, don’t give her a hard time, it was a pretty convincing tale.”

Weiss seems ready to jump into action but I look sternly in her eyes and she sighs. “Fine…”

“Can you teach us that?” Xiao Long asks, I look at her confused and she says, “Stopping Weiss with a look, that would come in handy.”

We chuckle while the Heiress blushes, “Neryyys…”

“Come on, lighten up Weiss.”

“Then you would not oppose me telling them of the garden incident.”

I feel the blood draining from my face and I reply, “You wouldn’t dare…”

“Oh, I would.” she smirks and then she tells her teammates, “I was a kid, I think 8, she took Whitley and me in the garden, Winter was with us. They brought us to a secluded part of it and we started playing with her while Winter was doing her homework.”

“Wow, it runs in the family,” Rose replies.

Weiss glares at her but she doesn’t say anything about it. “So we were climbing a tree with her help, she was saying things like ‘Don’t worry, I’ll catch you if you fall’ but when we reached our objective we heard a cracking sound, Whitley and I decided to go back down to stay with Winter but Nerys continued, so she reached the top whilst we were with Winter, we heard something snapping and then a branch fell down and with it Nerys. She broke many other branches as she was swearing worse than a sailor but eventually she slammed her back on the ground cutting herself of; then Winter decided to say ‘I thought cats fell on their paws’” they start laughing at my expenses but I see a small smile on Belladonna and that makes me glad.

“Did you break anything?” the faunus asks.

I think about it and I answer, “I think a rib, the rest was easy enough to heal with my aura.” I drink a little more and then I ask, “may I have a cookie?” Rose hesitates but Weiss nudges her so she gives me the plate, I smile taking one and then I return it. “thank you. Any other questions?” I munch on it.

Xiao Long looks at me thoroughly and then she asks, “Why did your mother leave?”

I freeze and it takes me a few seconds to decide if I should tell them or not, I want to not answer, but I see the curiosity in Weiss’ eyes.  _ Right, I never told her _ . I sigh and I place the mug on the table to take the picture on the small table beside my arm chair, it pictures me napping in my mother’s arms under a tree in a garden, I smile still remembering the comforting rumble coming from her.

I pass the framed photo to Weiss and I say, “Your mother, I think, took it… Anyway. As you can see she too is a Faunus.”

“Yeah, the tail is a pretty sound clue,” Xiao Long replies, “and you were so cute!”

I chuckle a little embarrassed, I clear my throat and I continue the story, “After my father’s premature departure, Weiss’ mother took us in and we accepted. It was a wonderful year and a half, until I noticed my mother being more nervous and jumpy. Eventually I accidentally overheard one evening our mothers talking and I found out that Jacques was harassing my mother and threatening her if she didn’t sell her company to him.” I sigh at Weiss’ heartbroken eyes.  _ Sorry, Mausi. _

The blonde asks, “What happened, after that?”

“She told me to go on alone with my training and she left.”

“How… how did you take it?”

“At first it hurt like hell, the only family I had run away and I couldn’t go with her. Like… I-I- I loved your mother, Weiss, but she was in no way going to replace my mom’s place. As it should be, no one is replaceable. And there was your sister too and I knew that she needed someone.” my heart clenches a little at the memory. “it was hard… but luckily someone was going to distract me from those thoughts.” I smile at the Heiress and she is surprised.

“Baby Weiss is coming in the picture? Do you have a photo?” Rose asks excitedly.

I smirk standing up and I walk up to a shelf “What? You said no embarrassing photos!”

“Oh, shut up, you big baby. It's only one and we are adorable.” I open a book and I grab the photo I was thinking of, I walk behind Weiss and I reach out with my arm while the girls lean closer as I show the picture.

“Is that your sister?” Rose asks pointing to the white haired girl on the right of a small bundle that has Weiss’ eyes, while I am on the other side with my tail in her hand, we all are smiling and I rub my head on Weiss.

“You were so cute, Weissy, how did you become such a…?” I glare at Xiao Long and she shuts up.

“Don’t you dare. Now I am not on the clock and I care a lot about Weiss.”

She doesn’t say anything and I start to worry, I glance at her and I see her mesmerized by the picture, then a scroll goes off, Rose takes it and pouts. “Oh, Dust. I forgot I have a study session with Pyrrha!” I raise my eyebrows, impressed, while then the girl finishes her drink and two biscuits before she bids me goodbye, at last she speeds out my apartment.

“Oh, yeah, we do too, Yang. Oobleck wants an essay from us this Monday.”

“Really? Things just started to be interesting!” Belladonna glares at her partner who stands up immediately after. “well, see you next week, professor!”

I wave at them and then I jump over the couch sitting next to the last girl, concerned. “Weiss, are you okay?”

“I… I miss those times”  _ Oh... _ I sigh and I hug her, when she sags on me I lie down keeping her above me, we stay like this in silence, I know how she is feeling. “do you think she will see me for the Vytal Festival?”

“If she doesn’t she’s an idiot.” she chuckles and I smile

“I… Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,  _ Mausi _ .”

“I get that you are not on good terms with Winter, but… if you see her again, could you maybe try to talk again?”

“I… I can try”

She snuggles deeper and mumbles, “That’s all I ask.” I nod keeping her in my embrace, this reminds me of the times we would cuddle in her room when she would have nightmares in her afternoon naps and Winter couldn’t come, I relax and eventually I start to purr, for a moment Weiss stirs but then she relaxes, I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen her so uncaring of the outside world. After a while she tells me, “I don’t want to go back to my room.”

“I would carry you there, but I don’t know how your peers would take it.” she whines and I smile, we sit up and I ask, “you okay?”

“Yes, I may be a little shaken up from what happened to you, but I’ll be okay.”

I smile and I add, “In case you can ask Ruby to comfort you.” she blushes and I chuckle. “about that, how are things going?”

She smiles a little. “She does those idiotic things that I can’t help but find cute and then you heard her, she has study sessions with Pyrrha and I—”

“You are impressed.”

“Exactly, I… I feel bad for the way I behaved at the beginning of the year.” I pat her back and I stand up with her.

“What matters is that you realized it and you are actively trying to be better.” I accompany her to the door and I open it for her. “I’ll see you next week,  _ Mausi _ .”

She hugs me and I hear her mumbling, “ _ Bis nächste Woche, Knuddelbär _ .”

I snort. “I’m a fucking panther.”

She slaps my arm while I laugh. “So uncouth…” she says walking to her dorm room, I chuckle closing the door behind her but then I groan thinking of the promise I just made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm changing the posting timetable I had in my head, instead of two chapters in a single day for a week I'll post twice a week, in two different days, I think on Monday and Thursday.
> 
> Anyway, thank you. Stay safe =)


	6. Chapter 6

Months have come and gone, they are starting the preparation for the Vytal Festival and I can feel the excitement from my students, especially Weiss who almost buzzes in her seat in these last lessons, at least the students are as levelhead as possible in our practices to prepare them for the Tournament and I am proud of Arc who is getting better at fighting.

Before they run out of my class, to go to the city, I stop my protege’s team. “Halt!” they turn to look at me while their classmates go out, Team JNPR looks at them and I say, “it's nothing bad, you may go.”

They leave us and I look at the four girls, Xiao Long is the one to break the ice. “Is something wrong, prof?”

“Yes and no. There have been some disorders in the city, so watch out.” I glance at Weiss as they nod. “and also… Why are you in such a hurry? It’s only the Vytal Festival.”

Weiss scoffs and replies, “Easy for you to say, Former Champion! But this year, WE are going to partake and we intend to win it!”

I chuckle and I reply, “Just… have fun, _Mausi._ ”

She blushes but she smiles. “Would you like to come with us, Professor?” she blushes harder at her teammates’ smirks and it makes my heart melt.

I shake my head and while I gather my things I tell her, “No, thank you. You should spend time with your team, BUT…” they stop and I smile walking up to the Heiress. “I’ve gotten you something, maybe you could pick it up and share with your friends.”

“Why did you… Is it your birthday, Weiss?!” Rose asks.

Weiss shakes her head. “No.”

“I am just catching up with the ones I lost… Also, it’s close to the end of the second semester.” Rose goes to ask something else but Weiss glares at both of us.

“Where do I have to go?”

“It’s a pastry shop on the way to the docks—”

“I think I know which one.” Rose interjects with a smile, Weiss nods and then I let them go, I follow them out of the class but when they go to their room to change I feel my scroll vibrating, I frown picking the device and I feel myself freeze at the name, then I feel a familiar anger sparking inside me, I start my way to my place and I read her text

**Ice Queen** : [Stay away from her.]

I clench my jaws but I decide to wait to reply, otherwise I might just make a scene outside where anyone can see me.

I close the door behind me and I answer

**Me** : [Hello to you too.]

I turn off the scroll and I start preparing a calming tea, after I put the water to boil she answers

**Ice Queen** : [I’m serious, leave her alone.]

**Me** : [Give me one good reason]

**Ice Queen** : [Father is always watching. What do you think he will do when he hears that a former conspirator hangs around the current Heiress, again?]

I feel my jaws hurting so I take a few deep breaths before I focus back on her

**Me** : [Noted, I’ll tell Weiss when she comes back from the city]

**Ice Queen** : [Nerys, please. My sister can’t know or else she will do something rushed and it will be the end of your relationship.]

I scoff and I can’t help but reply

**Me** : [So, now you are concerned with our relationship. Didn’t seem to stop you 2 years ago]

**Ice Queen** : [Nerys, please.]

**Me** : [No, Winter. You don’t get to call the shots on your sister’s behalf. I’ll be more cautious, but I won’t stop to see her]

**Ice Queen** : [Suit yourself. If something happens, I won’t be at fault.]

**Me** : [That’s ironic, your sister asked me to try to talk with you some time ago, to reconnect. I think that we will break her heart once more, for old time sake. Don’t bother me again, delete my number.]

I turn off the scroll and I sigh rubbing my temples, I feel my tail swishing around nervously, the water boils and I take it off the stove to start making my tea, when I have my cup I go to the balcony and I sit down looking at the sky while I try to calm down and think about what I’ve been told.

After I’m done with the tea I stand and I fetch my swords on my way to look for Glynda and I find her in her classroom fixing some cracks. “You know, when I gave you permission to train the students in here, I thought you were going to at least keep it intact.”

“I’m sorry, Glynda, but… Would you spar with me?”

She glances at me and she frowns. “Did something happen?”

“I… Yes. But I would prefer to spar now and then talk if that’s alright with you.” she nods and I step on the platform with her brandishing both swords.

“En guarde, Nerys.” she makes the buzzer go and we both start running to each other, my swords meeting her crop.

As I look at it I smirk and I ask, “Will you use it on me, if I lose?”

“Focus!” she pushes me back with a crimson face.

In the end she beats me, but just for a small margin, she sits next to me on the edge of the platform and gives me a water bottle, after I sate my thirst I tell her, “Winter texted me.” she nods. “she told me to stay away from Weiss, because apparently ‘Father will know’.”

“And what did you tell her?”

“I’ll be more cautious, but she can’t ask me to stay away from her sister.”

“You are too stubborn to do what you are told,” she mumbles, I glare at her and she sighs. “I know how you are, I’ve been watching you.” I smirk and she slaps my hand with the crop.

“Ow! What was that for?!”

“You lost.”

I look at her shocked and then I chuckle. “Damn it.”

She smirks and then she gets back on what she was saying, “Anyway, I paid attention to you and I know that you are like a child who have been told to not do something and they will do it anyway.”

I tilt my head but then I nod. “Yeah, but I swear I’m trying to be better.”

“Much appreciated. If I may, I’d like to help you.” I look at her surprised and she smiles kindly at me. “you heard me. I’ve come to care for you… not like that, Nerys.”

I snort and I nod. “I know, you are never going to fall for my charms. But it’s fun.”

“Yes, I see the way you laugh when you manage to fluster me,” she replies, “come on, it’s time for dinner, we’ve been here for a long time”

“But it’s a mess.”

“And I have a very handy Semblance.” I nod and I hop off the stage helping her down, then I give her my arm while we walk out. “so chivalrous, Miss Schnee doesn’t realise the mistake she’s made.”

I sigh and I mumble, “I think that I don’t want to hear about that Schnee for a while.”

“Understood.”

  
  


After dinner, I take a walk through the deserted campus when I reach the statue, I sigh sitting down on the edge, I look down on the water and I feel like crying, but I hear hurried footsteps, someone runs on the opposite side of the statue so they don’t see me, I try to ignore it but then a boy says, “I knew you would look better without the bow.”

I perk up and I stand walking around the monument and I am surprised to see Belladonna without her bow and a blond guy. “Blake?” they turn around and the girl tenses up, I see her ears flattening on her head and I sigh. “was it… her?” she looks away and I groan, “can I have a moment of peace, today?” I whisper, turning to the dorms.

“You don’t have to intervene…” I glance at Belladonna so I change my destination.

I walk up to them and I look up and down the guy. “Who are you, you’re not a student of Beacon.”

He stands straight and says, “I’m a Vacuo student! Sun Wukong.”

“I’m professor Nerys Mazarin. Are you two friends?”

He nods but I glance at Blake and after a moment she sighs. “I suppose we are.”

“That’s not very convincing. I don’t want to leave you to some weirdo.”

“Hey!” I glare at him and he shuts up.

Belladonna smiles a little and then says, “I just need someone that isn’t my team at the moment.”

I nod. “I understand. I hope to see you soon, Blake. Tomorrow I’ll talk with your teammates. Mister Wukong, you are safe for now, don’t make me regret it.” he nods quickly and I leave them alone. _I hope I’m not going to regret it_.

On Saturday I didn’t find them in their room, so on Sunday morning I knock on team RWBY’s door, Xiao Long opens it and is surprised to see me.

“May I please come in?” she lets me in and I notice that the girls are ready to head out and Belladonna is missing.

I cross my arms as I look at Weiss, she is as surprised as her teammates but then she asks, “Nerys?”

“What happened yesterday?”

The air seems to still and the sisters look at each other before Rose starts, “We went to the docks because the students of Vacuo were coming in—”

I raise a hand I look pointedly at the Heiress, she hesitates but then she faces me head on and she reminds me of her sister, it still hurts. “We went to welcome the students when we saw a robbed dust shop and the police thought of the White Fang and Blake and I started to discuss, then as we approached the moor we saw a monkey boy being accused of being a stow away as he ran from the port police, he crossed paths with us so I started to follow him when we bumped into another… student I think from Atlas and we lost him. I asked Penny if she saw where that guy went but then Blake started to argue with me, we fought throughout the afternoon until she told us she was a faunus and probably in the White Fang. You know the same terrorist organisation that—”

“Weiss!” I stop her and the girls look at me very shocked. “did she explicitly say she is currently part of the White Fang?”

“Well, no but—”

“Am I?”

“What?! Of course not! I’ve seen you always with humans or kids.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose before I turn to look at Rose and Xiao Long. “Have you seen Blake interacting with someone known with the White Fang?”

They think about it and then Xiao Long says, “Not really, she’s always seen with a book or with us or at least with me.”

“Yeah, she doesn’t talk to many people other than us or Team JNPR.”

I return to Weiss and I lower my voice, “You want to make a name for yourself, right? To not be a simple pawn in your father’s hand.” she looks down and nods. “you accusing her is no different than your sister doing it to me.” she freezes and I see the moment she realises what I’m saying. “this situation is eerily similar to the one your father set up for me. Using the White Fang as a scapegoat, making me fight with my friend… She may have been with that group, but she’s no longer with them. And that guy is just an idiot.”

“Wait, you met him?” Xiao Long asks.

I nod. “The day Blake ran away. I talked with them at the statue.”

“And you didn’t stop her?!”

“She needed to talk with someone that wouldn’t know her or judge her!” I exclaim shutting everyone up. “I am really disappointed in you, Weiss.” I notice the frown but she lets it slip behind a stony mask, I sigh and I turn to the door. “after everything is cleared up, I need to talk with you about something. It’s not good.” walk out the door and I go back to my room, a headache starting to pound behind my eyes.

Once the evening falls, I wait anxiously for Weiss, I heard of what happened at the port and I… I really need a vacation; someone knocks and I check before I let them in, Weiss walks in slowly, I close the door and I take a moment before I turn around to face her, she is looking down on her feet wringing her hands. “Weiss?”

She tenses up and then she says, “I’m sorry… for what I did to Blake and for what it made you remind of.”

“Are you and Blake okay, now?”

“I… I didn’t really let her tell me anything.” I frown and she raises her hands. “I just told her we can talk tomorrow more aptly about… everything.” I relax and then I lead her to the couch, we sit and she asks, “what did you need to talk about?”

I sigh and I tell her, “Your sister and I talked and… it went bad.”

“How bad?” she whispers.

“A lot. She told me that your father is watching and might find out about us and it will ruin us if that’s the case.”

She looks up to me and she is crestfallen. “What?”  
“You heard me. But I told her that I would tell you and we were going to be more careful.”

“So you don’t intend to leave.”

“Nope, the Brothers have to come down to get me away from you.”

We hug and after a few moments she asks me, “Did you talk about something else?”

I sigh and she sits back. “I told her to not bother me again and to delete my number, I already blocked her.” she looks down and I say, ”I’m sorry, I’m still hurt from two years ago.”

“No, I’m sorry for pushing you.” I hug her again and I lean on her.

“I understand why you would want that, but maybe… it’s not meant to be.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t get you, both of you… I know she misses you.”

“Weiss—”

“She told me! She wouldn't lie to me like that!”

I look at her surprised. “She… she did?”

“Yes! And it… I really can't… why? Why can’t you even text each other?”

I look away and I hear her sigh. “I’m sorry, Weiss, I want to tell you, but she made me promise to let her when she was ready." I turn to face her and I notice the dejected look in her eyes. “I’m sorry, truly.”

She nods and sighs, “I know… I know I shouldn’t push for it, right? I see you are hurting with all this… ‘Winter’ talk, and yet I can’t relent. Am I really that bad?”

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise, before I say, ”No”

She looks at me and frowns. “What?”

“Our lives are a mess and you simply want that one thing that was good, to happen again. I... there are some things that you are not aware of that I wish I could tell you and they are related as to why I am still so hurt and angry at your sister.” I sigh as I glance at the hour and then I tell her, “you are not bad to wish that, _Mausi_ , and I want to give it to you. It’s just… hard for me.”

She nods and then she stands up. “I should head back to my room, it’s getting late.”

I nod and I follow her to the door, before she opens it I hug her. “I’m sorry, I will… try to talk with her if we see each other again.”

“Thank you, Nerys… Oh! And the chocolate was delicious, really.” I let her walk out and I close the door behind her, I go changing in my night wear and before I lie down I check my scroll, Winter’s name high in the chat chronology her newest text dated to this afternoon

  
**SO W.S.** : [I can’t.]


	7. Chapter 7

The first semester goes as smoothly as can be, Winter doesn’t try to contact me again so at least I manage to go back sleeping normal hours, I keep trying to get in Glynda’s pants and the many bruises on my forearms shows how successful I have been, but you know, you win some and lose some.

I’m dreaming of a utopist world when suddenly a bird lets out a rhythmic sound out of its beak, I frown at the offending sound ruining my mid-afternoon nap, I groan as they knock again and I get up from the couch, yawning I open the door and I am surprised to see a nervous Ruby. “Miss Rose?” 

“May I come in, professor?”

I nod and I step aside letting her in. “Is everything okay? Is this something about an assignment?”

“No, it’s… personal. Pyrrha, Weiss and Blake have been great in helping me with my schoolwork… Actually… I need to tell you something about Weiss—” I sit straight on the couch and I am going to ask but she exclaims, “Nothing bad!”

I relax and I take a breath to calm down. “What’s going on, Ruby? Spit it out.”

She looks at me for a few seconds when eventually she says, “I’mcrushingonherbutIdon’tknowhowtoaskherout.”

I blink, slowly, trying to understand what she has just told me, but when I come up empty-handed I ask, “Come again? Slowly.”

She blushes and looking down she repeats, “I may have been crushing on her but I don’t know how to ask her out.”

I perk up, surprised, then I ask, “Pardon my confusion, but why are you asking me? What about your sister or… I don’t know, some other friend.”

She sighs and says, “Because Yang would be unbearable if I admitted that I like Weiss, and the others… well, they know Weiss less than me and you know her better than all of us combined. I mean, you dated her sister so maybe they could be similar experiences?”

I feel my jaw falling to the floor and I whisper, “You know?”

She looks at me confused and says, “Well, yeah? From what Weiss has been telling me and what you did tell us back on that Friday I thought it was pretty obvious, she can’t even allude to her sister without you getting upset.”

I sigh and I rub my temples. “Okay, so… she doesn’t know. Don’t tell anyone else that you know, got it?”

“Wh… Yes, got it. Now please, I need your help, professor.”

I smile and I say, “Ruby, you could do anything to ask her out and she would accept without a doubt. Her snarky comments? They are basically part of her; doubts on you? Not even one.”

“Well… she doubted Ozpin’s choice to make me team leader…” she mumbles rubbing behind her head.

I scoff and I reply, “She was butt hurt, she complained to me, I told her to stop being a brat because it wasn’t her.” that surprises the small girl, but then she smiles looking down. “Ruby?” she blushes returning to look at me, and I chuckle. “do you have any idea on what to do?”

She nods and says, “I thought of telling her first that I like her, but I don’t know what to say.”

“Be honest and it will go as good as it can get.”

“Did it work for you?”

I nod. “It was a funny mission for our teams, my partner hated me for almost a week after that.”

“Why?”

“There was this tension between us for a few days until we were attacked by a group of Grimms and only after that we admitted that we liked each other. Let’s say that Robyn almost strangled me for how long it took me. ‘Lovesick bastards’, I think she said to describe us.”

Ruby nods and then she asks, “So… be honest?”

“Yes, and be direct. Schnees hate going around something. Or at least, Winter told me that because it made her think they were hiding something.”

“Ok—” someone else knocks on my door and I stand up. “were you expecting someone?”

I shake my head, I check who it is and I stifle a laugh, opening the door I smile and I say, “Good afternoon, Weiss! Come in.”

I step aside as she steps in and I enjoy the way her smile turns to a frown as she sees Ruby on the couch. “Ruby? What are you doing here?”

Her leader chuckles nervously and I say “She was asking me some questions about an old lesson. Do any of you want some tea?” the girls nod and I grin as I walk to the kitchen, half-closing the door, I hear them talking quietly in the other room, I risk a glance and they are sitting close on the couch and I smile as I think back on those happy days with Winter, she wasn’t always a cold bitch, she was a snarky one and I loved it, I loved her… and maybe I still do, even though her betrayal still stings a little, I sigh focusing on the boiling water.

I place the steaming mugs on a plate and I go in the living room leaving it on the coffee table, I glance at the two teenagers and I notice that they are holding their pinkies, cute, they notice my glance and they blush a little letting each other go, we all focus on making our own teas and after I take the first sip I ask, “So, may I know what you think you are going to do? The break is close.”

“I’m going to stay here, it’s a short one so I don’t see why I should go back to Atlas.”

“I think of going back home for a few days since Patch is not that far, visit my mother, play with Zwei, see a few of my friends, and when I come back we can hang out!”

Weiss blushes and I hide my smile with the mug. “Ok…” the heiress accepts, I can’t help it but I chuckle making her blush harder.

  
  


It’s the first day of break and Ruby has gone back home, if I know Weiss she is already marching to my apartment… 3… 2… 1…

*Knock, knock, knock*

I smile and I open the door finding a smiling Heiress “ _Hallo, Prinzessin._ ”

_“Halt die Klappe_ .” I smirk and I close the door behind her. “ _I need your help finding nice hang out places for Ruby and I._ ”

I nod and I fetch my wallet, “ _Lead the way, Liebling_.”

We walk out the door and I lock it, as we walk out the building we are chatting in our native tongue, some people turn their heads but we ignore them as we continue our research for nice date ideas.

After a long and thorough search in the city, for which we spent three days, we are simply chilling in her room since Belladonna is out with Xiao Long. “Nerys?”

I glance at the girl’s back and I reply, “ _Ja?_ ”

_“I talked with Winter._ ”

I sit up almost immediately and barely catch myself from slamming my head under Roses’s bed. “ _Are you serious?_ ”

She nods turning around to look at me. “ _I am. I was curious as to what made her text you and… she told me that she heard one of the soldiers talking about you._ ”

I frown. “ _Why?_ ”

_“It seems that the faunus here in Vale talked enough to make it known that Nerys Mazarin is at Beacon_.”

I sigh rubbing my temples. “ _Wunderbar…_ ”

_“Therefore, she texted you._ ”

The door opens and her teammates walk in. “Is everything ok?” the blonde asks seeing my tired face and Weiss' timid one.

_“Ja_ ,” we say together, Weiss clears her throat and says, “We were just talking about something that happened back home. Nothing to concern yourselves about.”

“Ok… hey prof, can I ask you to check my assignment?” she asks with a hopeful smile.

“Of course, Yang.” I grin as I watch the blonde searching through her things.

_“You can use my desk, since it fits two people_.” Weiss tells me, I get up and I accept the assignment from Xiao Long.

“Is it Atlesian?” Blake asks curiously,

I nod. “Back home we would usually talk in Atlesian, because not everyone speaks it…” I trail off glancing at the Heiress.

Weiss smiles and says, “Father can’t and he ‘doesn’t have the time’ to learn it.” I nod with a smirk.

“So you learnt an almost dead language out of spite?”

Weiss and I look at each other and we nod. “Pretty much.” I sit next to the girl and I look down on the assignment.

“Could you teach us, Ice... Weiss?”

I look up as my protege furrows her eyebrows and she asks, “Why would I, Yang?”

“It could be our secret way of communicating,” the blonde answers enthusiastically.

Weiss smiles, then her eyebrows dip a little as she thinks then she sighs, sad. “I don’t know… it was something we learnt while we were kids and my mother was… capable of teaching us so we picked it up quickly, I don’t know if this is something I am capable of doing.”

Xiao Long frowns, then she glances at me. “Well, we have a teacher here…”

I look at them and then at Weiss, she doesn’t seem all that convinced. “Yang, you are a good student, but would you take a good chunk out of your free time to learn a complicated language?”

She hesitates and then she concedes, “Alright, got it. It was worth asking.” I smile and I return to look at the assignment.

While the others starts chatting quietly between them, I poke Weiss and I whisper, “ _Is she always that superficial in her homeworks?_ ”

She snorts amusedly and when she starts writing a sentence, she answers, “ _Her partner is great and she’s helping her studying, but she’s not a miracle worker_.”

I restrain the laugh and I say, “ _What about Ruby? Is she helping you break out of old habits? How are your study sessions going?_ ”

She blushes and stutters, “ _Wh-What about her?_ ”

I smirk but I relent when I notice a curious stare from Xiao Long, she must have heard her sister’s name. “Your study session, how are they? I noticed a slight increase in her grades.”

“They are going well, we almost finished covering the arguments she had to skip to come here”

“It shows. Good job, I can say that even Goodwitch is pleasantly surprised by this”

Suddenly Yang springs back to life “Ooooh, prof! You can be our insider! What do the teachers do when they are not teaching?”

“Yang! You can’t ask—”

“Betting ring. And we exchange gossip on our students” they stare at me, surprised, “and since we are here, if you want a free dinner on my expenses, you two wait until the Vytal Festival to get together.”

The black and yellow duo blushes while Weiss is still speechless. “You bet on students?” she asks, scandalized.

I smirk, smug. “I won a bet with Port, we didn’t know if Coco Adel and Velvet Scarlatina were together and I won.”

“Are they?” Xiao Long asks, curious.

I nod chuckling. “They were good at hiding it, but not enough for this panther.” I point to myself puffing out my chest and it makes them giggle.

“Is she always such a dork?” the blonde asks Weiss, she nods and I gasp offended, but then I shrug my shoulders and focus back on what the brawler gave me.

After a final check I give it back corrected and I say, “It was good enough.” I pat her shoulder and I turn to the door.

“Are you going?” Weiss asks.

Opening the door I look back at her “Yes, there are things I should do… before I go, when is your leader coming back?”

Xiao Long seems to think about it and answers, “Today actually…”

Suddenly I feel a strange rumbling, the air is moving but not the ground. “Do you feel this?”

They look at me confused and I go try to explain but something tramples me, I fall on my face with a painful weight on my back. “Nerys!” Weiss shouts.

I groan and I hear a whine coming from on top of me. “Ruby? I think you should get up from our professor.” Belladonna states.

“What? Oh my! Sorry professor!”

“Get off her, dolt!”

I feel Weiss turning me around and I open my eyes to see all team RWBY looking at me concerned. “Damn, that was surprising.”

Weiss helps me up and I chuckle. “Are you okay, professor?”

I nod. “Yes I am, I’ll see you later. Have a good day, girls.” I leave them in their room and when I am out of ear shot I groan feeling my back killing me. “and I’m lucky she is petite…” I mumble.

  
  


On the last day of break I am walking with Ozpin and Glynda, we talk about training ideas for the students that want to participate in the Tournament when I see students fleeing the mess hall and it worries me. “Glynda? Are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

“Kind of hard not noticing a horde of students running away from their food. I swear, if they are team RWBY and JNPR—”

“Oh, Glynda, don’t act tough, we know you are fond of them,” Ozpin intervenes, the blonde glares at him but then at me as I chuckle, it shuts me up.

As we get closer we hear a ruckus coming from inside, I see someone flying out of the roof and I am worried as it is a blonde comet, a few paces later we hear a loud boom and we stop in our tracks. “Now I’m worried,” I mumble while Glynda marches inside.

When we get inside I am shocked to see the mess we just walked in, Glynda starts lecturing team RWBY and JNPR as she cleans up the place but Ozpin steps in, so I go to the students. “What the hell just happened? How did you rope Weiss in it?”

“Good afternoon, professor! We were just having fun!” I look at the ginger girl and then I turn to look at Weiss who’s face is turning a deep crimson.

I chuckle and I say, “Congratulations, Weiss, you just won the title for my favourite Schnee”.


	8. Chapter 8

It’s the dawn of a new day, and I already hate it. Too many Atlasian ships soaring the skies, I have a bad feeling about them.

After I’m done preparing for the day I am surprised to see a text from Glynda calling me to Ozpin’s office, I hear the nth ship passing too close to my building and I frown walking out the door.

When I get in the office I hear the blonde saying, “Ironwood certainly loves bringing his work wherever he travels.”

“Well, running an academy and an army makes him a busy man…”

“And it will be his downfall, why did he come with… those?” I ask walking up to them and glaring at the ships.

“Ah, yes, those are a bit of an eyesore.” Ozpin replies noticing what I’m looking at, I glance at Glynda and she’s as unhappy as I am even before we hear the beeping noise coming from the desk. “Come in,” Ozpin says, the doors open and Ironwood walks in greeting the Headmaster like an old friend, Glynda goes to greet him somewhat civilly, but I simply stay on the other side of Ozpin.

Ironwood sees me and asks, “Do I know you?”

Ozpin smiles and answers, “I believe so, Nerys was your dear Champion for an edition of the Vytal Festival.”

The General seems surprised and after a beat he smiles. “It’s good to see you again, you’ve changed so much from your academy days.”

I glare at him. “Just enough to not recognize me when I am accused of conspiration?” his smile falters and I almost smirk at this small victory.

Glynda waves at me and we both excuse ourselves, as we board the elevator she tells me, “I never needed a drink more than now.”

I nod. “Seconded. First round on me?”

She accepts saying, “But tonight; I have work to do at the moment. I’m sure you do too” I raise an eyebrow and she sighs. “I don’t know why I even bother.”

I smile, then I ask her, “Did you call me up to see Ironwood?”

“It was to make it known that he has to watch his every move.” I smirk, approving of her power move.

When we step out of the elevator, she goes to her office while I go to the library to search for a book.

I am browsing when I hear someone shouting, “NOOOOOOOO, MY FEARLESS SOLDIERS!”

I frown as I follow the noise, I hear more loud talking when there’s a whine, “I hate this game of emotions we play!”

I stop in my tracks as I see Rose jumping on the lap of a crying Weiss. “Stay strong, Weiss, we’ll make it through this together!”

“Shut up! Don’t touch me!” Weiss replies, hugging her tighter, I look at the scene unfolding in front of my eyes and I don’t know if I should intervene or not, but eventually Wukong and a blue haired boy approach them so I step up.

The blue haired boy asks “Uh… aren’t libraries for reading?”

From a close table Lie exclaims, “Thank you!”

Wukong snorts and replies, “Shut up, don’t be a nerd—”

“Mister Wukong, if you are not interested in following libraries’ rules then I suggest you get out,” I growl from behind him, they jump surprised and everyone looks at me. “Professor!”

I sigh rubbing my temples and I say, “Really Weiss? In a library?”

The Heiress blushes and replies, “They insisted…”

I glare at the brawler and the reaper who smile sheepishly at me. “I guess... That I should really give you all detention.” they gasp and a certain pair is already going to protest, but I say, “students, if you don’t intend to read in here, use the lounge rooms on the upper floor.”

They look at me confused and Ruby asks, “There’s another floor?”

I nod. “Anyone who reaches the other end of the library knows that, it’s no secret. I usually go there to play a little.”

“There’s a piano?” Weiss looks at me curiously.

I smile sadly reminiscing that day. “Ozpin bought it after a particular hard day, for me.”

“Can we hear you playing, pretty please?” Rose asks excitedly.

I shake my head. “Unfortunately, I am here in search of a book for my lessons and I can’t think of entertaining anyone. Also, tonight I will be busy and I won’t have time for that.”

This picks the curiosity of everyone and Yang asks, “Are you going on a date?”

I shake my head, this time with an amused smile. “Not really. I’m going out with Glynda and...” I grimace. “we both need a drink.”

Weiss frowns at first disgusted but then she gets worried. “Did something happen?”

I smile and as I walk by I ruffle her hair replying, “Nothing you have to worry about… at least for now. I’ll see you tomorrow in class. But first: play somewhere else, upstairs, in your room, wherever.” I look to a shelf and I perk up. “oh! Here it is! See you later, or tomorrow. Who knows. Bye bye!”.

“Good evening, Nerys. Are we ready?” I smile at Glynda and I nod, as we start walking to the dropship area she says, “there has been a problem with the Atlesian ships, someone has been stealing military equipment.”

I frown. “Well, that’s unfortunate. Why are you telling me?”

“I overheard Ironwood talking on the scroll about having someone overseeing the next drop. And you know who he trusts most after himself.” I draw in a sharp gasp and I almost shout a profanity, but I stay silent because of the present company. “I thought you should know beforehand.”

“Thank you, Glynda.”

“You’re welcome, darling, I just hope that in case it’s her and you meet again, it won’t cause much of a problem here on campus.”

I snort and I mumble, “Don’t worry, I’ll make a scene in private if Winter is the one to come.”

“That’s… not really comforting.” I chuckle and I let her get in the ship first.

“To unrequired meetings thanks to the tournament!” I cheerily say and I am surprised when Glynda chuckles.

The following day I get in class with sunglasses on, any kind of light is too bright for my poor eyes, I notice some of the students giving me weird glances as I sit on the desk. “Today, it’s National Hangover day, so we will do theory.”

“Wait, it’s an actual day?”

I frown at the girl and I shake my head. “No. Open page 420 of your books and one of you reads.” they comply and I sigh when one of them starts reading.  _ Damn you, Glynda… _

When it’s time for my last lesson I feel a little better, having had lunch but it seems that my state shows because team RWBY and JNPR look at me, concerned, and Pyrrha asks me, “Professor, are you okay?”

I nod. “Drank too much, yesterday. And yes, Mister Winchester, I am actually enabled to teach you, it’s not my fault you are lazy.” he shuts his mouth and I give them the page to get to and I start the lesson.

I noticed that Weiss wasn’t really into it so when I’m done and she was really snappy at Jaune, it kind of worried me, but I have to leave it alone as team RWBY basically rushes out of the room, I glance at team JNPR and they shrug their shoulders, I sigh and I follow my students out; walking through Beacon I see Glynda and she is like always, it doesn’t even seem that she drank me under the table, as she walks by me I ask, “How?” she only smirks leaving me behind, dumbfounded, I snap out of it and I go back to my room.

For a few hours I try to regain some sort of life in me, I take a shower, I drink water, eat some more, but eventually I decide to just walk around campus, enjoying the fresh air.

“Good afternoon, professor!”

I jump hearing a student calling me, I turn around and I see Miss Scarlatina walking up to me with Miss Adel by her side. “Good afternoon, girls. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“We were wondering what you were doing yesterday night, with Professor Goodwitch.” Adel smirks and I stop dead in my tracks.

“Excuse me?”

Scarlatina giggles and says, “We were out on a date and we saw you two in that bar. We didn’t know—”

“Nothing’s going on, we just needed a drink since a mutual... frenemy came here,” I explain, they look at me curiously, or at least, Scarlatina does, Adel still has her sunglasses and that annoying smirk.

“She drank you under the table,” the fashionista points out.

“You saw that?”  _ kill me now. _

“We watched everything unfold. I didn’t know you had the hots for Goodwitch.” Adel continues.

I scoff. “Please, everyone does, have you seen her? And I just play around, she would never give in to my charms.” they laugh and I smile.

“Will you be okay? With this ‘frenemy’?”

“Yes, miss Scarlatina, it isn’t the first hardship I’ve encountered, it won’t be the last. Wait, did you say that you were on a date?” I look at them and the bunny faunus blushes.

“You don’t seem shocked, nor surprised, professor,” Adel points out.

I smirk and I reply, “I may have overheard you once and I told Port. You paid for our drinks.” we chuckle and when they realize what I implied I nod. “yes, we bet on our students.”

“How many bets did you place? On who?” Adel asks curiously.

“Can’t tell you…” I see team RWBY walking out the dorms with those two foreign students, Rose dragging Weiss behind her trying to keep up with her, I notice the different attires and I frown.

“Tell me you are betting on them, professor,” Adel begs me.

I glance at her then at the first year students. “Yes, now excuse me. Those are up to something.” they nod and they let me go, I would cheer for the arm Adel drapes over Scarlatina’s hips but I am worried about what that team is going to do, so I break into a jog. I almost reached the drop ship area when my Scroll vibrates, I get it and I am shocked at what Ozpin’s asking me, I growl but I turn around to go to his office.

I scowl at the man immediately after the doors of the elevator part and the shadows start becoming reckless, marching inside I ask, “Why did you call me up?”

“Nerys, calm down, it’s important.” I turn surprised to look at Glynda and I notice the effect of my Semblance, I take a deep breath in releasing it after a few seconds, relaxing my stance and taking back control over my power, then I look at the headmaster.

“I know you wanted to follow your protégé, but I need you here for the moment. Tell me, do you know the tale of the Maidens?”

I tilt my head at his question but I answer, “My mother used to tell me those before bed. And then there was Willow to keep recounting them, so I remember those and a few others.”

“What would you think, if I told you they were real?”

I look at him, then at Glynda, she’s serius, I go back to Ozpin and I say, “I think that I would need to sit down for this.”

Glynda walks to my side and places a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Money didn’t give Ozpin a few more neurons to see the usefulness of more chairs in his office. I’ll catch you if you faint, I promise.”

I sigh and then I nod. “Alright, tell me everything.”

He tells me everything, it is almost too much, but I hang on. After he's done with the story, I take a moment to reorganize my thoughts. Eventually I ask, “Why tell me this now?”

He stands up and goes to look out of the window. “We thought that you were ready to know this, I would take you down to see Amber, but we can’t raise suspicions.”

I shake my head and I say, “No, I trust you enough to take your word for it. But I imagine that you are not doing this out of the kindness of your heart.”

“You’re right. With the Vytal Festival coming, more people are getting in the city and the school. If there is one thing team RWBY got right was that strange things are happening, something’s brewing. And I need more eyes.”

I frown and I ask, “You need me to be a spy?”

He nods turning back around to face me. “With your Semblance I thought that you could manage stealth missions more easily than first year students.” I look in his eyes and after a beat he continues, “as a faunus that never had connection with the White Fang, you could tail Miss Belladonna for today. I believe that she and her friend are going to infiltrate a rally.”

I look down and I sigh. “The things I do to keep her safe…” I face Ozpin and I accept, he smiles grimly giving me a mask. “is that all?”.

“When you are done you are expected to report to me, or Glynda. You may go now, Mazarin.”

I nod and turn around, Glynda follows me in the elevator as she starts doing something on her tablet. “I’m giving you the position of Miss Belladonna’s scroll. Do you have ways to hide your weapons?”

I shake my head. “Not really, never had a reason to. I could always go to the armory to use something else.” I feel my scroll vibrating then it stops. “do you have trackers on every scroll here?”

“I believe it would be best if you don’t go with your normal weapons. And no, I just know how to hack. ”

I glance at her, surprised. “Isn’t it illegal?”

She snorts and replies, “You don’t get to tell me what is and isn’t legal.”

I chuckle and I murmur, “Fair enough.”

The elevator reaches our destination and she nods at me before we go our separate ways, I look at the mask in my hands and I quickly make my way to the armory.


	9. Chapter 9

The spear digs uncomfortably in my back as I stand in a corner of the warehouse, constantly checking my surroundings, when eventually I see a pair of familiar cat ears, I take a deep breath releasing it slowly as a ginger takes the stage. It takes me a second to recognize his face from the wanted posters around the city.  _ Torchwick, a human talking to a rally of the White Fang… The girls are onto something, unfortunately. _ I look at the human, thanking the mask to conceal my scowl. The bastard is trying and succeeding in gaining favor from the faunus, everything feels so wrong, I wish I could end it now. I study the man and his sidekick, she’s petite, or she’s just a kid, probably both in his perspective.

I look around and not everyone here in the pit appears to not be a warrior, but either way their will is strong and misguided, Brothers know how bad is this combination.

Torchwick shows what’s behind the curtain and I frown.  _ Well, that for sure complicates things… and answers others. I’ll tell them later. _

Suddenly they address the crowd, telling the new recruits to come forth, in my hesitation I start following them, not arousing suspicions, but at a point I see Torchwick looking in my student’s direction.  _ Fuuuuck _ . I tense my hand, ready to grab my weapon, when Belladonna shoots the electric panel, I hear her talking to Wukong over the panic as someone gets in the Atlasian Paladin, I take this moment to simply melt in the shadows as I move in the crowd and in a blink of an eye I am outside the warehouse, in time to see the machine destroying the wall and following Belladonna and Wukong.

I rip the mask off my face destroying it in my grasp and I start running behind the robot.  _ Of all things a bunch of teenagers could do, they decide to go after a terrorist organisation that for some reason accepts to follow a human criminal. Of course, they would. _

I manage to 'travel' on a roof above the highway and from there I see the kids jumping on cars, but the stolen prototype is still going strong, I sigh and I jump on the roof of a car and I start making my way to the machine, I feel the scroll vibrating but I have to ignore it. When I am close enough I jump using a little bit of aura and grab the spear, as I come down I thrust it in its back, I hear the rumbling of a motorcycle and gasps. The machine startles but then it tries to shake me off, while throwing cars over its back, narrowly missing me.

Soon enough a halberd joins my spear and Vasilias shouts, “Good evening, professor. Fancy meeting you here!”

“Back at you, kid!” I look up and I see Wukong jumping to help us, using his semblance, but the machine grabs Vasilias and throws him at his friend, I wince as they hit each other, getting thrown over the wall, the spear slips from its hole but I plant it back in before I am thrown off too.

“Blake, I’m in position!” I look up in time to see Weiss landing in front of us and reading her rapier.

“No, Weiss!” I shout uselessly as she sticks it to the ground creating an ice sheet throwing off and over the machine, and me by extension, it’s almost comical how her determined face changes to shocked and panicked once she sees me on the robot.

Unfortunately, the machine lands without problems, and I get decked to the ground thanks to gravity, I think I hear a rib cracking. I get up on shaky legs just as team RWBY reaches us “Professor?!”

“Not now, girls!” I look up and I avoid getting hit by a robotic fist, I jump back and I grimace at the pain in my chest, he tries to shoot me but I use the spear to deflect the bullets as I jump behind a pillar, I look over and I see Weiss and Xiao Long combo attack create a mist.  _ Good, I can go around the robot without it detecting me or them seeing me. _ I close my eyes and I take a deep breath letting the shadow cover me, after a moment of cold void everything stops and I can open my eyes looking at team RWBY's backs, Belladonna and Weiss attack the mecha's legs and I see it sending rockets to them, hitting my protege in mid air. "Weiss!" I jump catching her and hurting my ribs some more.

"Nerys?! What are you doing here!?"

I land with her safely in my arms and I mumble, "Explanations later, focus on the Paladin." I watch as Belladonna and Xiao Long attack it together, I step forward but I wince.

Weiss grabs my arm and begs, "You're hurt, please stay back."

I shake my head and I say, "Nope, I have to make sure you make it out of this fight. Now give me a push."

She looks at me and then she sighs. "Fine."

I crouch down as one of her glyphs appears beneath me, giving me enough of a push, I sprint, the world around me blurs as I am thrown to the mecha, I thrust the spear planting it in the cockpit. "Hey, watch it!".  _ Torchwick? Well, that explains it.  _ I plant the feet on it and I jump with the spear before he grabs me. "So the big kitty has claws!"

I slide under the mecha arm raising the spear to scratch it, I get back on my feet to jump over a rocket, I bat it with the spear so the explosion beneath me propels me to its head, I try again to thrust the point of it in the cockpit but he moves enough to make it slip, so I force myself to vault over it, after landing I run back to the students. “Do you have any idea?”

Rose glances at me and smiles. “Yes, stand back, professor.”

That stops me dead in my tracks, a sudden pang in the chest gets me on my knees.  _ I shouldn’t have continued to fight _ . “Fine, but don’t die, girls. Too much paperwork.” my scroll starts vibrating again but I ignore it, it’s not the time.

The girls nod and I stay down. I watch with growing concern as Rose and Belladonna starts hitting its legs as a distraction and cut an arm off, then Xiao Long charges it but after a hit she gets smashed through different pillars, it almost gives me a heart attack, but I remember what her semblance is and I smirk hearing Rose’s reassuring Belladonna while the blonde gets up and stops the robotic arm and destroys it with a punch, Rose orders another combo and I am surprised to see Xiao Long being slinged around with Belladonna’s help, at last Rose and Weiss cooperate to freeze him and Xiao Long can land a punch in the cockpit, it bends and it gets thrown away, but as a last resort he launches a few rockets to the girls while in midair, so I jump in front of them spinning the spear and batting the rockets away.

I look around, tail twitching, Torchwick gets out of the cockpit and I glare at him. “Oh, kitty, don’t be so ruffled, you’ll get another chance!”

I reverse the grip on the spear just as Xiao Long fires off her gauntlet but the bicolor girl shields them. “You’ll get what you deserve, Torchwick!”

He chuckles. “Well, ladies, Ice Queen, Big Kitty. Always a pleasure!” I throw the spear surprising everyone. “Neo!” just as the spear reaches its objective, they shatter away.

I grimace, then I am startled as Weiss comes to my side grabbing my arm. With concerned eyes she asks quietly, “Are you okay?”

I sigh and I tell her, “Nothing aura won’t heal, don’t worry.” she frowns and pokes my left side making me jump away, I glare playfully at her and she smirks.

“Ehm… professor? Why are you here?”

I turn around and I look in Rose’s eyes, after a moment we hear some sirens, so I say, “Let’s go back to the school… Come here and don’t talk with anyone about this.” they look curiously at me and I smirk.

“You’ll seriously… Really?” Weiss asks, grabbing my hand and squeezing it almost painfully.

The girls look at us and Belladonna asks, “What do we need to do?”

“Just come closer, if there’s physical contact it’s better,” I explain, they step closer and Rose holds Weiss’s free hand, Xiao Long with Rose and Belladonna closes the circle, I grab the faunus’ shoulder as I close my eyes. “Don’t be afraid, and do not let go, squeeze harder if you need.”

“I won’t like it, will I?”

“None of us, Blake, unfortunately,” Weiss replies sighing, I smirk as I call the shadows to us.

“What the…” and we disappear.

After a quick travel we appear in the library, the girls stumble away and Rose groans. “Never again…”

Weiss leans on my side and mumbles, “Seconded.”

I chuckle but it stops short when I feel my scroll, I sigh detaching myself from Weiss and letting her slump on Rose, I get the scroll and I walk a few feet away from them to accept it. “I’m here.”

_“I tried to call you before, did something happen?_ ”

I sigh and rubbing my temples and I say, “Define something, Glynda…”

I hear her groaning and then she asks, “ _Are you okay?_ ”

“Just a bruise, my aura will heal it while I sleep, if you are calling me I imagine I could come and tell you what happened.”

“ _Are you sure? What about the girls?_ ”

“I ‘travelled’ to the library with them so we are safe.”

Suddenly I have to move the scroll away. “ _YOU DID WHAT?! Are they all in one piece? NERYS, YOU ALMOST FORGOT YOUR OWN LEG ONCE._ ”

“I KNOW. But I told them what to do and we are all safe and sound. Now calm down!”

“ _YOU… fine, but—_ ”

“We’re fine, and I’m not a student anymore, I practiced more shadow travelling in my own free time so I didn’t throw them in the void… but I admit I am a little tired.”

She scoffs and then she tells me, “ _Okay, if you feel up to it come to my office._ ”

“I will, see you in a few.” she hangs up and I go back to the girls, they regained some colour. “How are you feeling?”

Xiao Long groans and Rose asks, “What was that?”

“That was what Weiss called ‘Shadow travel’.”

They look at the Heiress and she sighs. “Nerys…”

I smile and I hug her quickly, leaving a kiss on her head. “Go back to your room, it’s late and tomorrow we are going to train.”

She steps back, surprised but it’s Belladonna the one to ask, “Train?”

I nod. “You all beat a prototype, but it still landed some hard hits.” I look at Xiao Long and I tell her, “you may have a very handy Semblance, but you can’t rely forever on it. It’s dangerous for you and your team. Just like I can’t use mine freely.”

They look at me confused and Rose asks, “Why?”

“Because it frightens common people, you saw the darkness we travelled in, if I had my eyes open you would have been startled out of that and who knows what could have happened. You are used to see Blake’s amber eyes, but not mine.”

“But you are green eyed…-ish,” Ruby replies confused.

I chuckle and I shake my head. “When there’s some light like now. In total darkness they are different. Now excuse me, but I have places to go and people to meet, and you have beds calling your names. _ Gute Nacht. _ ” I turn around and I walk out of the building.

I sit in Glynda’s office and I groan when I place the ice on my side. “So, Torchwick was the one to steal military equipment, but you are sure he’s not the mastermind behind all this.”

“There has to be someone else. I can get behind a one time thing where the White Fang helped him in exchange for something, but having him talk in one of their rallies? They should have killed him on sight with his assistant.” I watch her pacing back and forth and I continue, “I’m worried for the tournament, having the military here is a bad idea, even more so with all those new robots. Today you hacked and tracked a scroll in five minutes, how easy could it be to hack the robots that share a computer?”

She stops and then she asks, “Do you think we should tell Ironwood to take back his army?” I nod and she sighs. “He won’t comply, and if he does, the people would be confused and would start to worry.” she frowns.

I look at her concerned and eventually I ask, “What if… what if they are planning to hack the robots and make them turn on us? Could you work on some program to protect them from any kind of virus?” she looks at me surprised and I scoff. “are you really surprised that I can make complicated reasonings? I’m wounded.”

She glares at me and then she says, “Let’s say that they want to do that. Doing something might alert them.”

“So we are not doing anything?”

She shakes her head. “We will tell Ironwood to prepare for the worst. To have his scientists create some form of protection for his machines. At least we wouldn’t have more military equipment turned against us. Those rogue Paladins alone will be a pain. Thank you, Nerys, we will reconvene tomorrow morning in Ozpin’s office.” I sigh nodding, I stand and I walk to the door but then I stop.

“Are the girls in trouble? In the end they did everything on their own without getting the school involved.”

“They are treading on thin ice, but still safe. Good night, Nerys.”

I sigh and walking out I wish her good night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My character is basically a ripped off Nico di Angelo, I know, but his powers are so cool! But don't worry, I'm not going to make her raise the dead. Only shadows =)


	10. Chapter 10

I wake up and I sigh relieved when I don’t feel anything hurting, I smile and I go on with my morning routine. Thankfully it’s Saturday so everyone’s free, thinking back to what happened yesterday I remember the meeting I should go to, I sigh walking out of the door.

I look at Glynda and then at the headmasters faces, Ironwood doesn’t seem all that happy with my discoverings.

“Why would taking back the army be better with the Tournament looming over us?” he asks me.

I sigh and I say, “Not all of it, just the robot ones and call your human soldiers if you really have our protection high on your priorities. And I already told you why, General.”

He shakes his head. “I can’t. What would the public think if they saw ships flying away with brand new Knights already tested and approved? And what about our enemies?”

I look at Ozpin and he nods, I asked him before my former headmaster came in. “You could say that there was an emergency back at the Academy or something, so you go back with the androids, while at the same time you call here your human soldiers and watch over the borders. Who knows what lurks in the shadows of the forest?”

Ironwood raises an eyebrow and after a moment he frowns even more deeply. “Do you really think that everything you said could happen? Did someone get in the tower?”

Ozpin shakes his head. “Not yet, James, but I am keeping an eye on it.” He shows his screen where a bunch of cameras are looking inside the tower.

“Tell me, have you got any idea of what our enemies are scheming?”

I furrow my eyebrows and I focus, meanwhile Glynda says, “Without a doubt, if they gain control of your Knights 200, they would have the advantage of numbers and in a way surprise. They would be more of a burden for us.”

“And if normal people saw them turning on us, they would panic…” I look up realizing what that would mean. “They want to overwhelm us, with the White Fang, the rogue Knights and the Grimm.” a heavy silence falls on us, I look at Glynda and she’s looking out of the windows.

“What should we do, then?”

I look at the General, almost pleadingly.

“No, I won’t pull any Knight but I can call more human soldiers, and I’ll reinforce border security,” Ironwood says, turning around and walking to the elevator under my shocked gaze.

“James.” Ozpin calls him, the General stops and turns his head. “At least don't let Penny compete.”

I frown and I ask, “Who’s Penny?”  _ Weiss mentioned her once. Why should she… _

Ironwood sighs. “I can’t do that, she’s already admitted to the Tournament.”

He walks in the elevator and pushes a button, when he’s out of sight I turn to Ozpin. “Why should this Penny girl go back to Atlas?”

“Because she’s not like other girls,” Glynda answers. “She’s an AI.”

I frown. “Really?”

They nod. “And it seems our lovely team RWBY already knows it.” Ozpin shows me a picture of Rose and Weiss with Penny, they are in front of the CCT tower.

I nod, then I grab my scroll. “I’m calling my teammates, I doubt Hill can come, but Antoniou and Steele will answer.”

“That seems reasonable enough. Thank you Nerys, you’re dismissed.”

I bow at Ozpin and then I smile at Glynda on my way out.

As I am walking to Glynda’s classroom I find my teammates’ contacts and I start a group call, after a few rings Robyn’s the first to answer.  _ “What the hell is wrong with you, do you know what time’s in Atlas?” _

“Cry baby, cry. Hello to you too. This is important, Happy Huntress.” I hear her grumbling something and then a rustling of sheets, then another voice in her background, at last a closing door.

_ “What is it?” _

“We have to wait for Beauregard and Zoie, sorry princess.”

_ “Fuck off.” _

I chuckle then a new voice joins us.  _ “What the fuck is going on?” _

“Always a pleasure, Beau, is Zoie with you?”

_ “No, but she has her scroll with her.” _

_ “Hello guys!”  _ a new cheery voice chimes in, Robyn and Beau groans while I chuckle.

“Hello, Zoie. Okay, now that we are here, something strange has been going on here and I need you here for the Tournament.”

“ _ What?”  _ they all ask confused.

I sigh and as I get in the classroom I see I’m the only one, good, I can call Weiss later so they come here. “I don’t think I can tell you on the phone, but I need you, Beau and Zoie here at Beacon. Robyn, I know you can’t exactly move from Mantle but I needed you to know where we are going to be.”

_ “Are you serious? You could have texted me with the info and not wake us up!” _ she exclaims.

I snicker with Zoie, while Beau mumbles, “ _ Alright, we are going to pack and board the first ship to Beacon. Anything else?” _

“Not really. Oh! Maybe I’ll see Winter again, I know that the chance is high since I teach her sister.”

_ “I wish I could see your faces when you do meet.”  _ Robyn starts laughing and she’s followed by the others.

“Yeah yeah, laugh at me and my bad luck. I’ll see you later, guys. And say hi from me to whoever is with you in bed, birdy. Bye bye!”

We start laughing but Robyn shouts,  _ “WAIT, DON’T YOU D—” _

I hang on them still chuckling then I sigh relieved. “Okay, let’s train now.”

I search down my contacts and I smile finding my ward’s contact, I text her and soon enough I hear hurried footsteps and voices, I look at the entrance and I see team RWBY rushing in in their normal clothes, Rose seems to not have broken a sweat, while the others are panting. I raise an eyebrow and she smiles. “We were just around the corner. We are combat ready!”

I smile and I walk on the stage. “Great, did you close the doors?” she yelps and then rushes off and comes back under thirty seconds. “Impressive. Let’s start, Rose, so they can breath for a moment.”

She jumps on stage and she unfolds her scythe.  _ That is quite intimidating… What have I gotten myself into? _

I get my swords and after a moment we start our spar session.

I kick Xiao Long in the face and she lands heavily on her back, aura broken, the kids are all knocked out, I wipe the sweat on my forehead and I slide the swords in their scabbards. “Nice girls, if you keep up like this you’ll have a chance in surviving against a Paladin.” they groan and I chuckle. “Come on, it wasn’t that bad…”

“You almost killed us!” Xiao Long.

I wave her off and I reply, “No, I still held back enough to not maim seriously.” I find water battles and I give them to the girls.

“Professor?”

“Yes, Rose?”

“Why did you fight barefoot at the Vytal Festival but here you didn’t?” I chuckle and I sit next to Weiss.

“Lost a bet, had fun ruining my feet and I did fight barefoot even team CRDL.” they look at me shocked and I explain, “it was their punishment. They haven't been seen bullying another faunus lately.” I smirk and Belladonna smiles. “Anyway, I do it only when on stage, I can’t risk injuring my feet like that.”

They nod and then Belladonna asks, “Professor, I… we were wondering about your eyes since you mentioned them in the library. May we see them?” I raise an eyebrow as the others nod.

I sigh, “I suppose I could show you.” I look around and no one has sneaked in, I take a deep breath and I call the shadows to us, I check on them and I notice they are tensing up as they notice the blackness circling us, Weiss is the most relaxed but she is still uncomfortable as she holds Rose’s hand. “Are you sure?” they nod and I raise them, forming a dome-like shadow where light can’t get in, my eyes adapt immediately and I find them looking at me surprised.

“They are really golden! And... cat-like,” Rose mumbles, I smile and I close my eyes, I stand up and I move swiftly far from them.

“Professor? Where are you?”

I stay silent, unmoving.

“Nerys, this is not funny.”   
“It is for me.” I reply, Belladonna finds me but she just smirks. I hear them moving around so I seize the opportunity to move behind the closest to me that happens to be Rose and I lean down to her height, she turns around feeling my presence and then she squeals jumping back.

“Ruby!” Weiss and Xiao Long exclaim as I laugh, I release the shadows and Weiss glares at me as she helps Rose on her feet.

“That surprised me,” she mumbles.

I smile patting her head and I say, “Don’t worry, it’s a normal reaction for my prey.” I wink and she blushes, this time Weiss’ glare is even more icy. I look at the hour and I sigh. “It’s getting late. I should go, I have to prepare some things for a pair of friends of mine. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I jump down the stage and I walk out under the curious gazes of the girls.

  
  


The next few days I am busy finding a place for my teammates to sleep in and trying to think about the plan if there is something we are overlooking, but I come up empty handed.

After I finish my lesson I’m approached by team JNPR, Nikos is the one to greet me. “Professor!”

I smile and I start to ask, “Students, is something the matter?”

As I start gathering the books and placing them in my drawers Valkyrie answers, “Yes! We are going to Goodwitch’s class. Are you coming?”

I sigh and I shake my head. “Unfortunately, I have something to do in the city. But good luck in her class.” Valkyrie pouts but I simply chuckle as she’s dragged away by her teammates, I check my scroll and there’s a text from Zoie.

**Little psycho:** [We just landed, see you at the docks!]

I look horrified at the location and I groan as I walk out of my class.

I keep myself from puking at the salty air and heavy smell of fish while I look around. “Of all places, the docks they wanted to meet me… This must be payback…”

“You are not wrong.”

“Gah!” I jump turning around and I meet the grey eyes of Beauregard, he smirks under his beard. “What the hell, man?! And where is your eternal fiancèe?” he points behind me so I turn back around in time to be crushed in a hug by a very excitable blonde.

“Nerys! It’s been so long!” she exclaims picking me up and squeezing the life out of me and twirling.

I think I am starting to see angels in the distance when I hear. “Zoie, let her breathe. She’s cyanotic.”

She groans and she lets me go, I barely land on my feet as I gasp for hair. “Party pooper…”

When I can function properly I chuckle. “I missed you, guys. Come on, I’ll show you where you are going to stay until the end of the Tournament.” I grab their arms and I start dragging them away.

“Still not a fan of fish?” Beau asks.

“I wonder why.” I glare at them as they laugh but then I smile. “how have you been?”

He sighs but Zoie starts talking, “I’ve been great! Our latest missions went great, we killed many Grimm and yeah it’s a little concerning that they are becoming more and more restless but what can I say when they are our jobs?”

I raise an eyebrow.  _ Damn, she’s a blonde Valkyrie… _ I shake myself out of my thoughts and I nod. “Yeah, they have been restless here too…”

“If that’s any consolation we are ready to tackle whatever mission you have to give us,” Beau reassures me, I smile at him and I nod.

“Right, unfortunately it’s very serious but I trust you to keep it secret.”

“Good, it’s interesting already.” Zoie smirks.

I look at her and I tilt my head. “You have to stay away from any ginger teen you meet. It’s for the best of Remnant.” I pat her head as she looks at me confused, we turn into a deserted street and I lower my voice. “A team in the school has taken a liking to… hunting criminals and terrorist organisations and Ozpin made me tail one of them to a WF rally and I saw that a human is working with them. We don’t know what exactly they are thinking, but we have an idea and we got the Headmasters' trust.” they look at me surprised and I sigh. “Well, Ironwood is being a dick. Surprising, right? His ignoring our advice… or better, his ignoring my gut feeling. We fear they are at risk of being hacked and we can’t let these ‘people’ scare everyone and call Grimm, and with the WF here we can’t make any mistake.”

They nod and Beau asks, “So what do you need us for?”

“I’ll ask Glynda to give you anything she can to help you stop the members you’ll meet in the city. Ironwood will take care of the borders.”

“So we will be like headhunters?” Zoie asks, I make a so-so gesture and she cackles.

I look at Beau and I ask, “Are you sure you want to marry this one?” he nods. “suit yourself…”

“Oh, shut up you big kitten! You were way worse than us with all that pining, over the Ice Queen of all people!” I blush while they laugh.

We reach a cafe and I say, “Let’s stop here, your room is just there.” I point to the small hotel in front of the cafe and they look over there. “Under Steele. Come on, let’s eat something” They nod and they follow me inside, we go to the most private booth and I wave for a waiter, after we order we start to catch up.

As I am helping them settle in, my scroll vibrates, I check and it’s Glynda with today’s fights, “Hey guys, wanna see Beacon students fighting?”

“Yes! Let’s use the TV!” Zoie grabs my scroll and jumps next to the television setting up everything, I shrug my shoulders and I sit next to Beau, when she’s done she sits on Beau’s legs and we watch as the students fight against each other, the couple chimes with a comment once in a while but when they see Nikos destroying Team CRDL.

Before the start of the last one, Beau asks me, “Is she for real?”

I nod. “She doesn’t show off her Semblance, but she told me that she controls polarity and since those four are buffoons made of iron, she doesn’t have much of a problem in humiliating them.” I watch her knocking Winchester out and I wince. “Damn, she went easy on me…”

“You fought her?” Beau asks, surprised.

“Yes, I started a while back to train team RWBY and JNPR, I extended my help to the others that want to get in the Tournament, but only CFVY accepted. Let me tell you, these three teams are great, nice guys.”

“Can we meet them?”

I shrug my shoulders and as the new fighter steps on stage I say, “Why not? I just need you to keep Zoie on a leash when she meets team RWBY and JNPR. Now silence, there’s one more.” We watch the last fight and it’s between a student from Haven and Nikos, it’s short but what really catches my attention is the forfeit from that boy. I frown and I look at my friends while the screen goes black. “That was… strange.” they nod and I stand up to retrieve my scroll.

“Can you ask ‘Glynda’ what happened and who was that guy?” Beau seems as weirded out as me, I text the professor and I sigh looking at the couple, they are adorable at first sight. You see this tan muscular guy usually emotionally drained, but then when he sees the brown eyed girl in his arms he smiles so much his black eyes shine like obsidian; but then you get scared when they are angry because his weapon is a long curved and serrated sword while her weapon of choice is a massive broadsword. They surprised everyone with their speed, but when you have me and a very agile robin you have to adapt, just like how we are used to hard hits.

“Hey, Nerys, you talked about a possible future hacking, if that happens, what about you?”

I look at the blonde, surprised and then I look down. “I didn’t think about it… I… Oh... Wait, I only have that accusation of conspiration but they never had valid proof to even try to follow me here. Maybe I am still safe enough to not be in the sights of our enemies.” they nod and I sigh relieved, tension leaving shoulders at least in part.I look at the hour and I nod. “Well, I have to go back to school, I have to check on some assignments and I’ll give Glynda your numbers. I’ll see you later, guys. It was nice seeing you.” Zoie hugs me happily, while Beau is much calmer.

“We’ll see you later.” I pat his back and I quickly get out of there, you never want to stay between Zoie, Beau and a place all for themselves.

I knock on Glynda’s door and she lets me in, closing the door behind me she asks me. “Did they get in okay?”

“Yes, they are probably testing the springs in their bed already… anyway, here are their numbers, so you can talk with them and… yeah.”

She seems a little disturbed at the mental image but then she shakes it off, looking at her scroll. “Thank you, Nerys, now I believe Ozpin wanted to talk with you in his office.”

I nod and I turn around ready to walk out the door but I stop “Who was that kid? We thought it was strange of him to do all that to just forfeit.”

“He is Mercury Black, will they look into it?”

“Probably… Oh! Will you be my date for the dance?” I smile, hopeful

She smiles and shakes her head. “Will you ever drop the act? And we are going as chaperones.”

“Fiiiine. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I walk out and I sigh after I close the door, as I make my way up I send a text to my friends with the kid’s name.  _ And now to Ozpin, maybe he will give me another mission. _

“I want you to train with your friends.”

I look at Ozpin as he looks out the window. “That’s it? I thought maybe I could disintegrate nests of monsters or—.”

He shakes his head and says, “I need you here, and to operate in the shadows, I can’t risk having any students.” he glances at me with a small smile. “know what you are doing . You did enough for now by giving us insight and a feasible plan of action to counter these people. Now please, go enjoy this nice evening.” he smiles at me and I sigh nodding as I walk back into the elevator. As I am going down Beau texts me.

**Golden heart Brute:** [We have a situation. Don’t trust Black nor his friends.]

**Me:** [Alright, and know that we three have to train. Ozpin wants us to be ready to fight but it has to be in secret.]

**Golden heart Brute** : [Got it. I’ll tell the crazy one]

**Me:** [Remember that for some reason you’re marrying her.]

He doesn’t reply, but I imagine his disgruntled face and it makes me chuckle.


	11. Chapter 11

I yawn, stretching and wincing at the lingering strain in my arms, the bastards teamed up against me in these last few days, since I was the one with a desk job for the last few years. Lessons went swiftly if a little weirdly, Belladonna wasn’t really in it lately, but now I am required to assist in the preparations for the dance on Sunday.

I open the doors and I am surprised to see Xiao Long walking past me, she smiles at me before she goes somewhere else, I frown confused but I wave at her anyway, I walk in and I greet the Haven students and half of team RWBY. “Nerys! I need your help” Weiss walks up to me and shows me two tablecloth, I point to the one in her right. “Thank you, you’re a lifesaver.” she smiles and hugs me before she goes somewhere else in the room.

I walk up to Rose but it’s Wukong to ask, “Did you really see any difference between them?”

I look around, surprised, and then I shake my head negatively. “But don’t tell her or she will have my head.” we chuckle and I glance at the slumped form of a Ruby Rose. “Is something wrong?”

“Blake won’t come to the dance, what’s the point to go if we are not all together?” she tells me and I am shocked at the teary eyes.

“Okay, it’s not the end of the world, Ruby. But also don’t worry, I myself didn’t want to go to the dances we had.”

“What changed?” Vasilias asks curiously.

I chuckle and I say, “My best friends happened. The first one, my partner told me to haul ass and change into a suit so she wouldn’t be the only one. Second year was the same, then in third and fourth my other best friend forced me to suffer with her, but at least we matched.” I turn to Rose and I grab her shoulder. “Don’t lose hope, Ruby.”

She smiles and then she asks, “Are you going to chaperone us or you get to have fun?”

I scoff and I reply, “Both, I’m still a professor, but I am a young one.” I wink at them and they chuckle. “Do you have dates or are you going with friends?”

Wukong pouts and crosses his arms, then he answers, “I asked Blake, but she turned me down. Brutally.”

Vasilias shakes his head and says, “Stag, no one really caught my eye…” I notice the small glance he throws to his friend, but I keep quiet.

I turn to Rose and she says, “I don’t know, I… want to ask someone, but I don’t know how they will react… and also, Blake.” I sigh and I look over to Weiss as she is coming back with a bunch of white roses in a vase.

“Nerys, could you give me a hand with this, since Yang abandoned me and they are not helping?” she asks me glaring at her friends, I smile and I roll up the sleeves of my shirt to the elbows.

Eventually Sunday comes, I am straightening my dark midnight blue jacket, I check the white tie and then I walk in the ballroom, Xiao Long whistles at me and I wink at her. “Wow, you cleaned up very nicely, prof!”

I chuckle and I reply, “Thank you, now excuse me, but I’m going to annoy a certain professor.”

She smirks and nods at me, I walk a little past her but then I turn on my heel and I tell her, “You look great too, Miss Xiao Long.”

“I know, prof. And if you want Weiss is here somewhere.” I laugh at her response while I walk away.

I stand next to Glynda as we watch over the students, I chuckle as I watch Xiao Long and Belladonna dancing. “I was right.”

“About what?” she asks, sipping her punch.

“That Belladonna would come, I was like that.”

“And yet you came, I remember that first year hitting on me.” she glares at me and I chuckle embarrassed.

“What can say…” I blush a little, but then someone clears her throat, I turn around and I see Weiss.

“Nerys, could you dance with me?” she looks up, shyly, and I smile.

“Of course, _Mausi._ ” I put down my glass on a table nearby and I grab her hand, soon we are dancing a waltz. She notices the silver bracelet around my left wrist. She smiles at me but I see the little bit of sadness in her eyes. “Is something wrong?”

She shakes her head. “I… I asked Ruby to the dance.”

I look at her surprised and I ask, “How did she…”

She sighs letting me twirl her in time with the strings. “She said no… I believe she panicked but it still hurt a little.”

“My poor little _Mausi_. I knew that she wanted to ask you, so most probably she did panic. What do you say if I nudge her in your direction?”

She looks up, hopeful. “Would you really do that?”

I chuckle and I reply, “Of course, now go drink something, you’ll need to lead and you need to be patient.”

She looks at me confused and she asks, “Why?”

“I really doubt she is capable of even slow dancing with heels on, not everyone is like you or your sister.”

“Small? It’s not my fault Schnees are small. Even grandfather wasn’t all that tall!”

I laugh and as we stop I wave her off. “You know what I mean!” I look around and I find Ruby on the second level looking down at us, I make my way up and when I am by her side I say, “So, why are you not down on the dance floor? A certain Heiress would like to dance with you.”

She blushes and she stutters, “I-I really don’t want to disappoint her…”

“Tough luck, kid, you already did.” she deflates looking down on her feet and I sigh, I bend down on the banister perching my elbows on it as I look at the students having fun. “She asked you to the dance and you panicked.”

She nods. “Not my best moment.”

“Then go up to her and let her lead you, trust her. It will make her night and yours too, I know it.”

She looks up and she asks, “Really?” I nod. “Alright… thank you, professor. I’ll see you in class.” I smile as she walks downstairs, I turn to look at the dance floor and then I gasp when I see Ironwood dancing with Glynda. _Now I feel insulted… What the fuck, Glynda?!_ I scoff then I laugh. I watch over the students and then I watch over the Whiterose duo, while they talk I get my scroll and once they start dancing I point the camera at them, taking some pictures of the smiling couple, it’s all rather adorable and it makes some memories resurface, but I am snapped out of it when the music changes to a more upbeat one. I notice some movement and Arc is in a dress, I stifle a laugh as I point the scroll on them as the rest of team JNPR is clearing some space on the dance floor, I start recording and I am baffled when they start dancing a very elaborated choreography. Afterwords, I zoom on Arc and Nikos and I smile as they dance together, I chuckle but then I start to feel a little hot, I end the registration and I walk out the doors to get some fresh hair, I look around when I notice a shadow moving on the roofs, I frown and I look back, I send a text to Glynda and I go out, calling my locker.

I reach the tower with my swords strapped around my waist, I feel my tail twitching. Something’s wrong. There is no one guarding the front door, I get in and I find more unconscious guards. _This is not a good thing._ I hear a clicking noise and I find it coming from the elevator, I look as the number stops and I close my eyes already calling the shadows to help me go in the server room.

I materialize in the elevator and I step out of it, I don’t see them, so I say, “Show yourself, I know you are here.”

The person stands slowly from behind a row of computers, I grab my swords and I move in a defensive position, she surprises me by throwing some dust in the air and forming glass shards that she throws at me, I jump over them and I deflect the most insidious ones while she arms herself with her own pair of swords, locking ourselves in a tight duel.

We exchange blows when surprisingly she jumps back throwing one of her blades, I dodge it but then I find more shards zipping to me, any time I evade one she makes it come back so now I am stuck in a glass tornado, I make the mistake to forget of her second sword but she reminds me as she uses it to slash at my torso, I gasp as it makes contact but then I feel her shards slamming into my back throwing me forward, during the fall I knock my head on the corner of a desk and the last thing I remember is watching her running away and a voice calling me, “Nerys!”

I wake the following day with a headache and someone is gripping tightly my hand, I turn my head and I see a white mane, I smile and I shake her awake ignoring the pain in my back.

She jerks awake and when she sees my eyes she exclaims, “Nerys!” she hugs me and I groan, making her lean back. “Sorry! But I was so worried! Wait, let me call the nurse.” Weiss runs out and I chuckle a little. When she comes back she’s followed by a nurse and a doctor, they check on me and my bandages and after that they leave us be.

“Did I lose something?”

“Yeah, your mind! What happened in the CCT tower?” she asks angrily.

I sigh and I answer, “I don’t know if I can tell you…” she gives me the puppy dog eyes and I groan. “I’m going to strangle Rose for teaching you that…” she chuckles and I smile a little before I ask her, “Help me sitting up?” she nods and once I am in a seated position I drag her to my side. “Promise me that you won’t tell your team with the intent to plan something.”

She looks at me shocked and then she frowns. “Is it that serious?”

“That woman did this to me, I can’t risk you running into danger like this.”

She sighs and then she nods. “I promise, but I will tell them, maybe we can look around and if we see something unusual we can tell you.”

I shrug my shoulders. “Fine…” looking out of the window I tell her everything that happened in the tower.

When I’m done, she looks down. Then she asks “Can I call my teammates? I think we should let you in on what we discovered.”

I look at her surprised and then I nod. “Come on, help me up, I have to go to Ozpin. Meanwhile you can call here you friends.” she complies and soon enough I am starting to change behind a curtain. A few minutes later the other three barge in my room and I smile as I am slipping in my shoes.

“Good morning Professor!” Rose greets me.

I chuckle and I ruffle her hair. “Good morning girls, make it quick, I can’t make them wait.”

They look at each other and their leader starts talking.

_“Are you ready?”_ Weiss asks in my ear piece.

“As ready as I can be… thank you girls for telling me what you discovered. Now I am sorry if I lose my patience. Ironwood and I don’t really get along that much.”

 _“Got it, good luck, kitty cat.”_ I frown at Xiao Long’s nickname but the elevator doors open and what I hear really pisses me off.

“...Now are we going to do something about it or should we just stay the course that’s right in front of us! Or better yet, following the plan of a possible fugitive that you welcomed here with open arms?” I glare at General Ironwood as I step into Ozpin’s office.

“So you still believe those lies?” I ask surprising them, Ozpin stands up but I raise my hand. “Tell us, oh great General Ironwood, do you have a better idea at the moment? I would like to remind you that she probably hacked into the system, thus so far I was right!”

“And who says that you aren’t working with them?”

I march up to him, my semblance starts to act up and disturbs the lighting. “I exiled myself because of a false accusation and even after years you bring it up? You were my headmaster, you should have known me!”

“Yes, I did, but you knew that innocents never run.” he replies standing straight with his hands behind his back.

“Well, if I had stayed, then your men would have thrown me into jail without a fair trial, because no matter what, I am still a faunus and Jacques Schnee the richest bastard in all Atlas. So who knows for how much he would have bought the judge, jury and executioner. So yes, running was the only option available!” Glynda grabs my arm and she drags me back from the General. “I had to, and the only decent people to support me were my own teammates. I trusted you.”

“Okay, enough. Calm down both of you. Nerys, please, tell us what you remember of yesterday, please,” Ozpin asks me.

I sigh and I answer, “I used my semblance to get in the elevator, but when I first walked in the room I saw no one, I knew she was there and she faced me, she wore a mask. She didn’t say anything, she just attacked me with glass shards and her swords, she managed to throw me off with one of her blades and she started to attack me again with the shards trapping me in a tornado, I had to focus on not getting hit but eventually she slashed at my torso and then every shard impacted in my back and I… fell, I slammed my head on a desk on my down, I think I saw her walking away before I heard someone calling for me. Then I must have passed out.”

“Glass… she might have been the same woman that I fought when we first met Ruby Rose,” Glynda tells us. “That day she helped Torchwick get away… if that is the case they must be working together, and you saw Torchwick at that White Fang rally.”

“It’s possible, but we still lack the required evidence to link the two together…”

 _“Wait! Feign a headache and tell them… Tell them that you heard her talking about a hideout in the South East as she was walking away!”_ Ruby tells me.

I mentally prepare myself and then I sigh rubbing my temples, Glynda notices it and she asks me, “Are you okay, Nerys?”

“Yeah, it’s just… I think I remember her saying something about a hideout… In the South East. Just outside the kingdom.”

“Are you sure?” Ozpin asks, I nod and he smiles. “Interesting.”

“I thought you said she never—”

“I know, Glynda, but I swear she said something as she walked away, she probably had an earpiece and she had to regroup.”

“Alright, thank you Nerys, why don’t you go rest some more? I want you ready for the Vytal Festival, there will be a nice opening show, I reckon.” Ozpin tells me, I nod and I glare at the General before I turn my back on them and I go back in the elevator.

“Did you get that?”

_“Yes, thank you professor… Are you okay?”_

I sigh and I answer, “Yes, I… I think I never really got over… everything… I’m sorry, girls, you had to hear all that.”

_“You don’t need to worry, professor… And thank you for trusting us.”_

I smile and I shake my head. “I trust you enough to let you hear that, Belladonna, but I really hope that you are not going to do anything stupid. You got that, Weiss?”

_“Why did you—I feel insulted!”_

We laugh and I lean on the wall behind me. “Have fun today, and do not be idiots in whatever you are going to do.”

 _“Fiiine, thank you professor.”_ they tell me, then I take off the earpiece, stuffing it in my pocket, when the doors open I walk out going outside.

I’m sitting on a bench when I feel a presence next to me, then Professor Ozpin sits next to me as we watch the students milling about. “A certain team seemed really… determined to accept a mission in the South East quadrant.”

I sigh internally. “Really? I wonder why.”

“Sometimes things will be discovered in time, if we are patient. They will shadow Doctor Oobleck.” He tells me with a smile, and I can’t help but snort.

“Poor students. University did a number on him.”

“But he’s still good at what he does. Well, I should go. I see a dropship, I believe Team CFVY has come back.” he stands up and he goes away.

After a few moments I stand up and I go to the drop ship area, as I get closer I see Adel and Alistar talking, with Daichi is behind them, Scarlatina is behind everyone talking with team RWBY, I glance at the first year students but then I look at Adel who approaches me. “Hey, I got worried for a moment. What happened?”

She adjusts her glasses and answers, “Nothing much, but they were more than expected, professor. At least it went well after that.” she looks away and I notice the aura of discomfort coming from her.

“Would you like to talk to me first or are you going to wait for all the other professors?”

She sighs and shakes her head. “I might as well tell you, prof… Yes, I am sure Fox, I’ll see you later in our room.”

I hug her around the shoulders and we start walking. “I know we don’t really know each other, but you can trust me. I was your professor last year.”

“Yeah, and now I have Port… Can I come back to your lessons, prof? I enjoyed it more, easier to understand what you were trying to tell us.”

“Nope, or at least, you can’t ask me.” I chuckle at her disheartened sigh. “So? You seem... jaded.”

“It’s… about what happened in the mission,” she admits and I am surprised by how defeated she sounds.

“Care to elaborate?”

“I… we found a family, we wanted to get them to safety but they were trapped so I went, but I miscalculated and I found myself in a very tight space.”

I wince and I ask, “And you are claustrophobic?”

She nods. “A game of hide-and-seek gone wrong…”

I pat her shoulder and as we step in the elevator. “I got you… I… I actually hate big enclosed spaces with little to no one in it. You know where I lived, right?”

“Yeah, you were a ‘maid’ for the Schnees.”

“Yep, I hated cleaning up the halls or the ballroom, or any big room for the matter, while alone. I always felt watched. Oh, and I hate big crowds, too noisy and yeah, almost all of them were elitist that didn’t like my tail.” she glances at it as it swish lazily.

“Thank you, prof.” she smiles and I wink at her as the doors open and we step in the Headmaster’s office.


	12. Chapter 12

The following morning I am greeted by an annoying vibration, I turn off the alarm and I start to prepare for the day.

I just finish the last lesson when I check my scroll, I read that my friends want to train in the city for the day and possibly night since they found the perfect spot, but I stop dead in my tracks as I see a new text from a certain Special Operative.

**SO. W.S**.: [Why did you lie to Weiss?]

I sigh and I start to make my way to my room, trying to ignore her. A minute or so later my scroll buzzes again.

**SO. W.S.** : [I know you read it, why did you tell her you blocked me when it's not true?]

I groan and I tell her.

**Me** : [She doesn’t need to know that, okay? And I didn’t block you because if need arises you are the only one she trusts outside of Beacon. So don’t think you are in the clear with me.]

Suddenly she starts a call, it startles me enough I almost drop the scroll, I hesitate but then I sigh accepting it. “What do you want, Schnee?”

_“I... I’m sorry.”_

I scoff and I mumble, “That’s a start. But for what?”

_“For… not giving you the benefit of the doubt.”_

I stop again and I almost shout, “Are you serious?!” I notice I scared team CFVY, just as they are passing by, Adel and Scarlatina look at me concerned but I wave them off as I resume my walking.

_“Yes, I am, because even if nothing was blatantly tied to you, there was nothing that corroborated your story! I’ve been looking into your case in my spare free time, but nothing cleared you of that accusation!”_

I keep myself from exploding again and I take a few deep breaths before I ask, calmly, “So, you’ve been looking in my case?”

_“Yes, I...I made a mistake and I wanted to do something useful instead of believing all those… falsehoods. Again.”_ I stay silent for a few seconds, enough to make her question my presence. _“Nerys? Are you still here?”_

I snap out of it and I mumble, “I am… Can I believe what you’ve said so far?” I get in my room and I start gathering my things to train, my old skin tight black shirt with half sleeves, finding my pants is harder.

_"Yes, you can."_

"Ironwood didn't tell you to do a background check on me?"

_"What? No, he didn't. Why? What's going on?"_

I rub my temples thinking, _She seems genuine enough_ … "Nothing to concern you with."

_"Well, it does now. Is my sister in danger?"_

I snort and I reply, "She always is, Winter, and it will be worse in the future. This morning she texted me she's going on her first mission with her team."

_"You sound proud."_

"Of course I do, I can't help but be proud of how she's changing thanks to her friends. They had a rocky start, but I can see how they are bonding with each other. Great things await them." I smile thinking about the other girls in her team.

_"I… I would like to hear about them, from you…"_

I open a drawer and I find the old white sash with the snowflake, I stop sighing and I say, "I don't know… I… I don't know how I feel right now about you. I still feel angry and hurt, but I… I miss you, and knowing you tried to find something to clear my reputation I admit it pleases me…"

She sighs. _"But? I feel there's a but."_

"I'm confused, I felt anger for so long it's hard to let go."

_"I understand…"_ I hear her mumbling.

"Maybe we could talk some more another day." I hear her stop doing something.

_"Are you serious?"_

"As a heart attack. Now excuse me, but I have to go, I need to relearn how to fight, apparently."

_"That's surprising, but alright, I should get back to work too… it was nice hearing from you and… I miss you too."_

I smile and I believe she's doing the same. "Same here and… I can't promise you I'll call you tomorrow or soon, I… I need to process everything we said."

_"I understand… When you are ready, text me first so if I am working I can take a break. Goodbye, Nerys."_

I bid her goodbye and when we hang up I feel very confused at the moment as I stare at my scroll, I shake it off and I change myself in my training equipment. Once I am ready I check the time, I get my swords and a tailcoat then I go to the drop ship area to catch a bullhead.

Hours later I get thrown in the air and I narrowly avoid the blade she throws at me. “What the hell, Zoie?!”

“Come on, cupcake, you have to be ready for every evenience!” she screams jumping up, she tries to land a punch on me still in mid air but I dodge and I kick her pushing me back on the ground, I land and I avoid Beau’s blade, I roll out of the way as Zoie lands sword first on the ground and sticking it, I kick her square in the face and I slash at Beau who jumps back, I step back and I look at them then at the clock and I frown. “We’ve been here all night, guys, it’s almost sunrise.”

“Really? Didn’t notice…”

“Too busy trying to kill me, Steele?”

“Pfft, pussy…” I glare at her and she grins at me.

“Ok, let’s stop here. I’m starting to feel tired.” he says, we agree and we start cleaning up.

As I am walking back to school I hear a loud boom. “What the hell?”

I start running when I get a text from Beau asking me what’s going on, as the alarm starts to sound I say in the mic, “Do not intervene, I’m taking care of it, you have to not be seen fighting. Not yet.” he answers with a thumb up and I pocket the scroll.

I stop dead in my tracks as I see a Death Stalker coming my way, I grab my swords and I run to it, as it tries to snap me in half I slide under it and I plant the blades in its underbelly, it squeals and as I stand back up behind it I avoid the stinger and I twirl raising the swords and swinging down hard going through the ‘flesh’ right under the stinger and cutting it off, the Death Stalker turns around and rushes to me, I duck under a claw then I jump up and forward dodging the other one and I plant the swords in two eyes, it squeals again and starts thrashing around, I grunt as I push them deeper and eventually it stops moving, it drops dead and I roll away with the swords, as I get back on my feet I run without looking back.

As I reach the square I am surprised by the amount of Grimm and the hole in the concrete, but most importantly I surprised to see team RWBY on the ground in front of said hole, a roar snaps me back into action and I dodge the claw of an Ursa, I thrust my blades in its torso with a grunt and then I throw my left arm up cutting its head in half, I start making my way through the Grimm when eventually other teams come and I am pleasantly surprised by team JNPR and Arc, I slash against a Beowolf and I avoid getting hit by a Boarbutusk, I kill it and I stop to assess the situation and to catch my breath, meanwhile I see the Atlasian fleet arriving and dropping their Knights. “Why, Ironwood?” I mumble, the ground shakes and I stumble into a wall as an old Paladin emerges from the ground… then a dog comes out? I shake my head and I take off my coat dropping it as I go towards a pack of Beowolves.

I’m so focused that I need my coat flying away to notice that another team has come, team CFVY to be precise and I smile before I snatch with an arm my coat away from a Grimm and kill it with the other.

“Prof, duck!” Adel shouts at me, I turn around and I drop to the ground before her bullets reach me, I sigh relieved but then I feel all my muscles protest as I roll on my back, I don’t think I will stand back up soon.

Thankfully Glynda comes in the picture and fixes the holes in the square, blocking new Grimms, I hear a few cheers and then she looks down on me. “Trained too much?”

I breathe a little and then I say, “Zoie tried to kill me once or twice…” she helps me up and she gives me my coat, a ship lands and I frown at the Knights. “So my former dear Headmaster is going to completely disregard me?”

“It seems so. I’m sorry, Nerys. We’ve been-”

I shake my head and I say, “I don’t care, if what I said is right, it’s all on him. Before I go, don’t trust Haven, watch Black. Now excuse me, but I’m going to check on Weiss.” she nods and I start walking slowly to team RWBY.

Once they see me Xiao Long asks, “Prof! What happened to you? Were they too many?”

I shake my head and I answer, “I trained all night, this invasion didn’t help. Are you girls okay?”

“Peachy. Why were you training in the city?” Rose asks me, curious.

I smile and I reply, “Secret. Weiss?”

The Heiress looks away from her leader and smiles at me. “I’m fine, Nerys. Let’s just go back to the school.”

I sigh and I mumble, “Seconded, I hurt all over, I want to die…” Weiss comes under my arm and she supports me a little as we walk towards a ship, I smile down at her.

I see them stopping on the edge of the area, no dropships in sight and I smile as they sit, Weiss slipping her fingers between Rose’s as they talk. I turn around chuckling and I go back to my room, I seriously need to catch up on some sleep.

A few days later, on a Saturday, I find Rose in the library, I check my scroll and I smirk, I approach her, sitting next to her it takes her a few seconds to notice me, she smiles and I ask her, “Good morning, what are you doing?”

“Morning professor, it’s your homework. Weiss was busy with another subject and Blake is already helping Yang, so I came here to focus, or try to, at least.” She blushes a little as I notice the draft of her symbol with a familiar snowflake.

I chuckle and I lean in closer to her. “That reminds me, today is her birthday~”

She gulps and asks loudly, “Really?” in the distance we hear shushing and I snicker at her red face.

I nod. “She never told you?” She shakes her head and I sigh. “Of course you forget to ask the birthdays. Come, I’ll excuse you from your homework. We need to make her a blubbering mess. And it’s on me, whatever you want to give her.”

“Are you for real?” she asks me as she grabs her things, I simply nod.

We are walking in Vale looking in the windows and she gets sadder and sadder as she doesn’t get any idea. “Can you tell me anything? My mind has gone blank!”

I look in the distance and I see an ice cream parlor. “I know she prefers winter of all seasons, her favourite color is baby blue, she likes coffee but she enjoys our hot choco Fridays and her favourite ice cream is blueberry frozen yogurt. Any idea yet?”

She groans but eventually she sees something, she stops and I follow suit. “I think I have one.”

I smile and I say, “Lead the way, then.” she grabs my arm and she uses her semblance to take me in front of a jewellry, I stumble to the wall, I think I left my stomach over there. “Never again, Rose. Or I’ll fail you.” she chuckles nervously and when I am well enough I ask, “What are we doing here?” She points to the window and I see a sign saying that they can create a pendant in a matter of hours.

“I saw the bracelet with three snowflakes you wore at the dance and… well, maybe I could give them the draft of our two symbols so she would have something to remind her of me when I’m not around…”

I smile at her and I nod. “That’s thoughtful. Come on, let’s get inside.”

We get in the shop and we approach the counter, I smile as Ruby starts talking with the kind man.

(Ruby’s point of view)

A few hours later we get back to school, as we reach the dorms the professor stops me. “Don’t tell her I helped you today, okay?”

I tilt my head and I ask, “Why?”

“You just don’t tell her of how involved I was okay? See you later, kid.” she pats my head and then she walks away, her tail flicks me on the nose and I glare at her back.

“Do you do it voluntarily?” I ask.

She doesn’t even turn around as she replies, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

I shake my head but I let it go and I go back to my room.

When I walk in, there is only Weiss reading on her bed. “Hey, where are the others?”

She glances up from the book and sets it aside. “Hey, Ruby. I don’t know where they are but I believe they are fine.”

I nod. “Ok, good enough…”

I remember the small box in my pocket and I grab it as I step closer to her, she must notice my nervousness and raises an eyebrow. “Are you okay?” she makes some space and she pats her side, I sit obediently.

“So… Happy Birthday, Weiss. I got this for you.” I present her the box while she looks at me surprised.

She grabs the box slowly. “I- thank you, but… How did you know?”

“Professor Mazarin. I met her in the library,” I answer smiling nervously. “I hope you like it.”

She lifts the lid and she gasps surprised, she takes it and she says, “It’s beautiful, thank you Ruby. Would… would you put this on me?”

“Of course!” she passes the necklace to me and I help her put it on, then she stands up and walks to her wardrobe and opens it to look in the mirror, I stand up as I start to take off my boots and I start to change into my pajamas.

“Thank you Ruby…”

I throw on my singlet and I turn around asking her, “Do you like it?”

She faces me and she smiles at me. “I love it.” she walks up to me and she kisses my cheek and it makes me smile happily, as she sits back in her bed she takes it off to look at it, I sit next to her and she tells me. “I never… after my tenth birthday I would get the most disparate gifts, unnecessary jewelry, makeup kits, even dust you know?” She leans on me and I am surprised but I relax soon enough to hug her. “Winter and Nerys were the only ones to give me what I craved as a kid, affection and attention. They would all year long but it was only during my birthdays that Winter would sing with me while Nerys would play the piano for us… well, when she could, and I don’t know how but Nerys would sneak us sweets, they were much appreciated after we had to see our parents.”

“Well, I’m glad you had at least something good for your birthdays.” I try to cheer her up.

She smiles but it’s still a little sad. “I’m glad too. They were the ones to make even Whitley be a nice brat during those days.” she chuckles and I smile. “The only time they bought me something was the parts to build Myrtenaster, Winter gave me the designs of her weapon and Nerys watched over me as I built it and it was the best gift they ever gave me, but I think that now there is another gift that competes for first place.” she looks up and gives me another heartwarming smile. “So, thank—umpf!”.

I interrupt her by leaning down and trapping her lips with mine, eyes closed, my neck muscles strain a little, but it’s worth it when she relaxes and she places a hand behind my head to card her fingers through my hair. Her lips are so soft and I feel on cloud nine but then my neck protests a little too much and I have to lean back, after a few beats I open my eyes and a moment later I have a close up view of her angelic blue eyes. I realize what I just did and I blush deeply embarrassed. “Oh, Brothers, I’m so sorry Weiss, but you were so happy, so I was because you were and then you...mmm!” she kisses me but she keeps it short because she’s smiling so widely.

“Don’t, Ruby. I liked it… maybe we could do it again, sometime?” she asks, blushing a little.

I can merely nod, then I snort as she grins, then we both start giggling. “So, I take it you like me too?”

She smiles looking away and pushes me a little to the side. “Of course I do, dolt.” I grin and I lean in, but as we are going to kiss again the door opens and she pushes me off her bed making me land hard on my back.

“Hey guys! We… Rubes? Why are you on the ground?”

“My back was hurting… I needed a hard surface to lie on…” I answer with a half voice.

Blake comes in my visual and she smirks as she points to her lips, then she says, “I bet you fell from your bed, right, Weiss?” she looks at my partner as she helps me up while I wipe my face.

I notice Weiss is red on her face as she says, “Yes, the dunce fell…” she looks at me from the corner of her eye and she smiles a little.

I chuckle and I say, “Yeah, I’m so tired. Well, goodnight guys!” I jump on my bed and I get under my covers.

“Yeah, Rubes is right, we should go to bed.” 

I hear them changing and going to the bathroom and Blake turns off the light. I sigh relieved, then I smile remembering the kiss.


	13. Chapter 13

The Vytal Festival has arrived, finally!

It has been a few months where Ozpin sent me on various missions around the city, mostly to identify White Fang’s members to help Beau and Zoie in their ‘hunt’ while I finish the program. It was hard to balance lessons, practices with the students and training with my teammates and Ozpin’s missions, but I made it to this moment even with Ironwood’s hot headedness. There’s something wrong with him, I feel it.

I wake up with a smile but then I frown as I see a text from Glynda, she wants me in Ozpin’s office. _Of course I won’t go one day without a meeting with them_. I groan as I get up and I change into something casual before I go to his office.

“Ah, there you are, Nerys. Coffee?” Ozpin asks, I nod and I accept a mug from Glynda. “I bet you are wondering why I called you here, right?” I dip my head then I take a sip of the hot beverage. “And you may question also my request to have you train with your teammates for the last few months.”

“Yes, but I admit that I needed it.”

He smiles and as I take another sip, he says, “Good, because you’ll be the opening act of the Vytal Festival.”

I feel it go in the wrong pipe burning me and I start coughing, Ozpin starts chuckling while Glynda has the decency to come closer ready to intervene, but I raise a hand stopping her, I clear my throat and I ask, “What exactly will I do?”

“You’ll be fighting three other former champions to open the dances tonight,” He tells me.

I look at Glynda and she sighs pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “He’s telling the truth. Some people want to see a serious fight. Students… are messier, fun to watch, but still messy.”

I groan and I tell him, “Ozpin, pardon me, but I can’t exactly be seen in all kingdoms, some people will remember my name and what it entails. Just from hearsay, faunus in Mantle believe that I am here, but having the confirmation? It will be bad for both of us.”

“It’s something I want to risk, Nerys. Don’t worry about it.”

I look at him but nothing betrays him, I sigh and I say, “Fine. I’m going to change. If you’ll excuse me… I have to mentally prepare myself.” they nod and they let me go away.

As I reach my door I see a nervous looking Weiss waiting for me, I clear my throat and she jumps surprised to look at me. “Where were you? I thought you would be inside…”

“Ozpin called me in his office. Is something wrong?”

She hesitates but then she says, “Lately you have been busy, I wondered if we could spend some time before the Festival?”

I smile gently and I hug her opening the door. “Of course, _Liebling_. Come.”

We walk inside and she notices my furrowed eyebrows. “Is something wrong?”

I hear her concern loud and clear and I sigh. “Ozpin just told me that tonight I’ll be part of the opening act of the Festival. I am worried about being back in the spotlight even if for a restricted time.”

Weiss looks at me surprised. “That’s… bad?” the girl asks.

I open the closet and I look through my things. “I’ll be broadcasted around all Remnant, it will be a miracle if no one remembers my name. Both Ozpin and I are risking a lot, _Mausi_.” she frowns but she sighs, sitting on my bed.

“Now that you make me think of it… I believe father will watch the Festival. I may have been ignoring his calls so…”

I smile a little as I throw my skin tight black shirt in Weiss’ face, she glares at me while I smirk, then I turn back to my closet. “I’ve been teaching a little rebel. I bet he’s not taking it well.”

“Not really…” she admits.

I throw the rest of my clothes on the bed and at last I unconsciously open a drawer, I slip my hand in and I realize what I am doing when I touch a familiar fabric, I grab the waistband I wore when I won, I glance behind my back and I see Weiss looking at me, curious.

I sit in front of her with it and I say, “I’m thinking of wearing it.”

“Why?”

“For you, obviously.” I wink and she giggles, I sit on the bed, close to her. “Your father will already remember me, might as well confirm it. If he gets a heart attack the better.” we laugh and then I ask, “Would you mind turning around as I change? Or you can wait outside, you can choose.”

“I’ll turn around. I’m not that uncomfortable with you.” she turns around and she starts to text someone while I start changing in my “battle” clothes.

“Hey, Nerys?”

I grunt as I slip my head in the shirt. “Yes, _Liebling_?”

“Do you have some time before you have to go to the stadium?” I finish to change myself and when I turn around I sit next to her.

“I think so, why?”

The tips of her ears start to get red as she mumbles, “I would like to cuddle a little…”

I smile and I undo the laces of my pants, I crawl on my bed and I open my arms as she looks at me. “Come here, Weiss.” she smiles and she takes off her boots and her bolero before she crawls in my arms, once she relaxes I start to rub her back. “Are you worried about the Tournament?”

She nods sighing. “The whole world will watch us, and we are just kids and… Winter will see.”

I frown and I ask, “Are you worried about what she will say about your performance?”

“I… I hate to say it but yes. You oversaw her lessons in the courtyard and—”

“I know and I argued a lot with her about it.”

“But she’s right. You are not going to always be with me, I have to be able to protect myself,” she mumbles.

I lean back and I tilt her head up to look at me. “Weiss, I already had to leave you behind for a few years. I’m not going to leave you alone again if I can help it.”

We smile and then she places her head back on my chest. “Thank you.”

I smile and I start to purr, soon enough she’s out like a light and before I can doze off I set an alarm and only after I start to sleep.

Eventually we have to go to the stadium, I walk with Weiss and we cross paths with the rest of her team and JNPR who are surprised to see me ready to fight.

“What’s going on, professor?” Nikos asks, confused.

Arc instead is getting very excited with Rose. “Are you going to be in the opening fight?”

I smile and I answer, “Yes, I am, but do not say anything, got it?” they nod and I chuckle.

“Hey, Weiss, where were you? We were looking for you all day.” Blake asks.

“I was with Nerys,” my Liebling says, shrugging her shoulders.

“Are you ready, prof?” Yang asks with a smirk.

I smile cracking my fingers. “Of course, I’ve been training a lot lately, and I don’t want it to go to waste. Come on, I don’t want to be late.”

As we reach the Stadium I check my scroll and I sigh. “Alright, I have to go to the locker rooms, we are going to start soon enough. Go take a seat, students.”

“Yes, ma’am! Good luck!” They salute me and Rose, Arc and Valkyrie start running inside, while the others walk, but Weiss stays back.

I grab her hand and she looks up. “Do you want to come with me?”

She smiles and shakes her head. “No, thank you, Nerys. I just wanted to wish you good luck and to hug you without Yang around.” I chuckle accepting her embrace.

“If I win it will be for you, Princess. If I lose… I give you permission to manage my wardrobe for a week.” She looks up surprised and I chuckle.

“I’ll hold you to that… Although I doubt you will lose. I’ll see you later.” she smiles and walks away, after a few moments I go to the changing rooms that Glynda told me about.

I start pacing in the waiting room, soon I’ll be called to walk up to the stage and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. _Why did Ozpin accept? And why am I going along with it? Fuck, fuck, fuck… Winter will be watching, Jackass will be. The only consolation is that, hopefully, Willow and Whitley will see me… maybe mom too._ I sigh and I stop to brush back my hair _. I should tie it, I wouldn’t want to be thrown around by my hair._

I tie it in a ponytail and a second after the intercom calls for me, I check my shirt and then the white waistband, then I march out.

At first the only sound I can hear is the pounding of my boots on the concrete, then gradually I hear the crowd cheering and lastly I see the light at the end of the tunnel. When I step outside I almost stop by all the noise around me, I focus on my walk to the stage and I take deep breaths while I listen to professor Port. “And last but not least, here comes the 37th Champion, she took part in both editions while she was a student at Atlas, losing the first but winning the second time. From team BRNZ, we have the one and only, Nerys Mazarin! Come on, people, cheer for her!”

The crowd becomes louder but I manage to find the familiar voice of Weiss and I turn to see team RWBY on my left, I smile waving at them but then I look at my three other opponents. The one on my left I see has a flail, the one in front of me has a pair of guns on his hips with a naginata on his back and for a moment I have a bout of nostalgia, my mom used one too… I turn subtly to look at the one on my right and I see he has a huge war hammer, all three have the insignia of their former schools on their shirts, while I have the Schnee’s snowflake on my side.

The announcers invite us to stand ready and we all grab our weapons, I see the clock next to our auras as it counts down the beginning of this first match, I look at my opponents and the looks they throw each other don't go unnoticed, I take one last deep breath and then I crouch preparing myself from the first onslaught.

The gong is set off and for a moment everything appears to stop, no one moves nor the crowd makes noise, then the one on my right slams his hammer on the ground breaking the concrete and creating an earthquake, it almost makes me fall on my face but I stand my ground.

The flail wielder ignores the taunt and they set off to the one in front of me, leaving me with the brute, I face him and I glare as he starts running to me. He’s fast, but is he quick on his feet?

I sprint and he lifts his weapon but before he can bring it down I jump up and I vault over him, while I’m upside down I swing my sword at his back and I land the hit, surprisingly he turns around with the hammer and I barely touch the ground before I have to jump over it, he doesn’t seem to stop and soon we are sharing a deadly dance.

Eventually he comes to a stop trying to hit me from above but I dodge it to the side and I slice at his shoulder before I step back. “So you really are quick on your feet, Mazarin. You kept up with me.”

I snort and I smirk. “I could say the same about you. I was worried you had only strength by your side.”

He laughs out loud and then he slams down the hammer, again, but this time the earth beneath me raises, I jump away as he leaps forward slamming the blunt head of the hammer raising some chunks of concrete and bats a rock towards me, I fall down and I roll away when he tries to stomp on me. “You know, I’m curious as to what you can do. There was no footage of you using your semblance.”

I frown and as I parry a swing aimed at my side, lodging my blades just beneath the head. “Wait, so you all knew beforehand of this?”

He tilts his head confused, I dislodge a sword and while he shields his face from a slash he says, “Yes, we did so we could prepare. Did you not?”

I concentrate my aura in my arms and he seems surprised by the deep red lines forming on my skin and then I push him back growling, “Ozpin will hear it!”

(Weiss’ point of view)

We cheer for our professor as she starts pushing on the defensive her opponent, but then I notice something, and Blake does too as she asks, “Why are her arms red? Is that her Semblance?”

I frown and I say, “No, that’s her aura, she’s using it to charge her attacks.”

“Yes, she’s very proficient in channelling her aura, since her Semblance is only for particular situations,” a deep voice informs us, we turn around and we see a man and a blonde wearing sunglasses and Atlasian clothes.

“Excuse me, but who are you?” I ask.

The woman chuckles and slaps her… boyfriend’s bicep? and then she says, “Babe, you know who we’ve got here! Remember our etiquette lessons!” she clears her throat and takes off her sunglasses showing us amused brown eyes. “I’m Zoie Steele and this big bear is my boyfriend Beauregard Antoniou. We’re Kitty’s teammates.”

A squeal is heard from my left and Ruby grabs my shoulder shaking me. “Weiss! We have two fourths of team BRNZ here! You guys are so cool!” the adults chuckle at my… girlfriend? lover? Significant other’s exuberance. “Are you going to stay for the duration of the tournament?”

Beauregard smiles kindly and nods. “Yes, that’s our intention. We had some time off and we wanted to see our friend.” he looks at me and he adds, “So you are her Weiss. We heard many great things about you in our academy days, and in our practices. It’s nice to meet you.”

I smile and I reply, “The pleasure’s all mine…” I look around and I ask, “May I ask why one of you is missing?”

“You mean Robyn? Blondie is very busy as of late so she couldn’t come with us, but we are keeping her in the loop. Brothers bless the CCT Towers." Zoie tells us munching on some popcorn. “She seems pissed, don’t you think, babe?”

We turn around and I notice how aggressive she is in her attacks, but then she stops and goes in the defensive, evading any hit directed at her. “And she’s deep in thought, she’s got terrible timing to go soul searching,” Beauregard grumbles. “If she wants to win she has to snap out of it.”

I sigh. “Well, at least if she loses I have complete control of her wardrobe for a week.” the girls look at me and behind us I hear a loud laugh and a more contained one.

“Oh, brothers, we need to see it.” Beauregard says with an amused smile.

(Nerys’ point of view)

I step away from the latest swing of my opponent. _Why did they know and I didn’t? Why did he force me into it?_ I jump above the hammer as he tries to hit my side and then I sigh. “Later, I’ll talk to him later.”

“Are you okay?” he asks.

I focus on the fight and I tilt my head. After a moment I smirk. “Yeah, I’m just thinking of ways to beat you.”

He seems surprised but I don’t give him time to react as I go back to the offensive.

We exchange a few hits, some I barely parry with a blade. In one such occasion I am too late to evade a hit so I throw out my arm and only then I notice the cracked blade. Time seems to slow down as I see the hammer hitting the sword and the resulting impact is great, enough to break it in half and make me fly away with a pained arm. I land a few feet away on my feet, I grimace at the throbbing pain in my right arm and then I hear a clang, I look down and I notice my hand left the handle of my poor weapon, I try to clench my fingers but I can’t. Things just got more interesting.

I look up and I glare at them three as they all stopped to look at me, a little concerned. I ignore them in favor of looking at the aura levels, only a quarter of mine has gone, while the others are a little lower than mine. Must be the use of their semblances.

Then I go back at pushing my first opponent towards the edge, he tries to fend me off but at last he’s just two feet away from elimination, and with a grunt I kick him in the chest sending him over, once he lands on the sand I hear Oobleck announcing his elimination. I turn around and I glance at the other two as they continue to fight, I take this moment to catch my breath and then I simply let the sword fall, I grab my limp hand and I start poking it around and moving it, when I understand what’s wrong I twist it back into place. I groan as I move my wrist clenching and unclenching my fingers. Stupid nerves and strange twists.

I pick the sword up and I turn to face the other two, now I can go back to the fight.


	14. Chapter 14

_Fuck all this noise, why did I want to compete back at the Academy, in the first place?_ I groan as I take my time approaching the fighting duo, surprisingly the flail wielder is a real challenge for the man with the naginata. He’s light on his feet, that I can see, and he’s fast with the long weapon, but he’s breathing way too heavily, he must have been hit while I was preoccupied with the other champion. Flail instead is really fascinating in their way of swinging that deadly weapon around, it almost intimidates me. I shake myself out of my reverie and I jump into the fray, as I team up with Flail against the man.

In the mess, I sneak in his guard and I manage to steal his guns and attach them to my magnetic belt under the waistband. Flail takes this moment to swing their weapon and the chain wraps around his naginata and they snatch it away from his grip, he goes for the guns but I smirk when he finds out they are not there, I pick one and I point it at him. “No hard feelings, pal.” then I shoot him off the stage.

“And this is the second elimination by the hands of Miss Mazarin, let’s see who will have the upper hand in this last duel!”

I smirk at Port’s enthusiasm, I reattach the gun to my hip and we start seizing each other up.

“I didn’t know you would continue this show after that hit.” they point at my right hand.

I shrug my shoulders and I reply, “It’s either win this, or give free reign on my wardrobe to… someone dear to me. I love her, but I know she would give me skirt after skirt.” we laugh for a moment then we both stop. “So, shall we?”

They nod and then they throw themselves at me with a cry, I start deflecting or dodging entirely their weapon.

(Weiss’ point of view)

“Hey babe, I’m going for a moment to the bathroom,” Zoie tells her boyfriend, then she almost runs away, curious.

Meanwhile I am almost tempted to start biting my nails as I watch Nerys jumping around to evade that painful looking flail.

“Are you okay, Weiss?” Ruby asks me.

I turn to glance at her and I sigh. “I’m a little worried, she doesn’t use her aura to defend herself, she prefers to evade than to absorb the impact and in a way I understand, but… no, it’s stupid, she won once, I can’t think of her losing.”

“It’s not stupid, kid, to worry about her well being,” Beauregard interjects. “It’s kinda cute, actually. But if you want some reassurances, I can tell you that she’s back in her shape. Zoie and I made sure of it, although we thought it was for something else.”

We look at him, curious, but he shakes his head. “We are too young to know?” I ask.

“No, I don’t think so, but she told us that you may not be troublemakers, but still you found them. So it’s for both your safety and her piece of mind.”

I blush but Yang says, “Hey, we just want to make this city a better place.”

“And I’m not saying you should stand back. Brothers know we would have destroyed Atlas in your place...” he grumbles, I raise an eyebrow and he chuckles. “Let’s say we all hated the army and how the rich families treated anyone who’s different. And still do.”

I frown, sad. “So, Nerys-”

“Oh, no! She hates your father, but she defended you very... vehemently. Don’t worry. It’s just… it’s a long story.” I nod and I focus on the battle.

Nerys and the Mistrali champion are all over the place, our professor appears to be fine, deflecting with her sword or simply dodging, not even a little out of breath, but so is her opponent. They make it seem like an easy task to swing that flail around but I bet that it's not.

They dance like that for a few more beats when suddenly the Mistralian swings the flail over the sword, the chain grows longer and after it wraps around the blade it knocks Nerys in the chest making her lose her grip. I gasp as she lands on her back and rolls near the edge, her leg is almost touching the ground when she snatches it up and grabs both guns and points them towards the ground, once she shoots she has enough momentum to dodge another hit and is back on safe ground. She stands up and points a gun at her opponent, she shoots a few times but it catches the chain of the flail each time, strangely it doesn’t seem to worry the professor, instead she has a faint smirk on her face.

Now she stays on the defensive shooting sometimes but each time she catches the chain. Alright, something‘s going on. After a few more rounds suddenly she finishes her ammo.

“Finished wasting bullets, Kitten?” they shout with a laugh.

Nerys chuckles and asks, “Did I really waste them?”

They frown but they shrug their shoulders and go to swing the flail, surprisingly Nerys stands her ground and grabs the head of the flail with her hand infused with aura, then she brings down the butt of the gun on the chain and it breaks.

“What the heck?!” Yang asks, surprised.

We watch bewildered the scene as they switch to fighting hand to hand, but Nerys is in clear advantage landing more hits than her opponent.

From then on the match goes in favor of our professor and eventually she lands the kick that makes the other champion fall over the edge.

After a beat of silence we erupt in cheers as Nerys smiles looking up, she brings her uninjured hand to her heart and bows to the public

I smile and I stand up cheering with my friends. She bows towards us at last and as she stands back up she finds me and she smiles at me, then she goes to help up her last opponent, afterwards they walk away towards the locker rooms.

“Come on, let’s go see her. That knock in the chest must have hurt her.” Beauregard stands up and I happily nod and we follow him inside.

We get in her designed locker room but she isn’t inside, Zoie calls for her and then we hear her voice. “I’m in the bath, bring a towel, Zoie. Please.”

“Sure will, Kitty!”

While the woman goes in the bathroom we sit around the locker, when she walks out the bathroom she’s wearing only a sports bra and shorts, both black and a big purple bruise in the middle of her chest. She’s wet and red all over her body. She blushes a little at Yang’s whistle but then she smiles at me. “Hello girls. Did you like the fight?”

“Yep! You were great! How did you learn to fight like that?” Ruby asks her.

“Lots of training…” she sighs and she walks slowly to her locker. “And I did train with different weapons for most of my life… learning hand to hand was painful both with our mothers and Winter.”

I frown and I ask, “My mother taught you hand to hand?”

She nods. “She couldn’t really teach me your Semblance nor swords-fighting because we were just kids, at first, and then there were you and Whitley.”

I notice she struggles with her shirt and I go to ask her but Zoie steps in and says, “Arms out.”

Nerys smiles, complying, meanwhile she starts chatting with the others, I just enjoy the company.

After a while Blake and the sisters decide to leave us alone, and we chat for a few more minutes until she gets her scroll, it’s vibrating a lot but what worries me it’s her frown. “Nerys, who’s it?”

As silence fills the room she murmurs quietly, “Your sister…”

Immediately her team tenses up and I say, “I thought you blocked her… If you want I can tell her to not bother you.”

She smiles sadly and she replies, “I didn’t because she’s the only one outside Vale that, for sure, cares about you. It was for emergencies only. And thank you, but she would just continue…” she accepts the call and greets her, “Hello Winter.”

Beauregard grabs Zoie and covers her mouth with a hand before we hear on the other line. _“What is wrong with you?”_

Nerys scowls and asks, “Excuse me?”

_“I told you months ago that father is breathing down my sister’s neck and you think that showing yourself at the opening act of the Vytal Festival was smart?! And let’s not forget about the waistband! The very own one you wore to spite him! So tell me, what’s wrong with you!”_

Surprisingly a growl escapes Nerys’ throat and with a barely contained voice she replies, “You know, I preferred when Winter called me. Is this the Special Operative or the former Heiress that wants to dictate how Weiss and I should live our lives?”

_“You don’t get it—”_

“No, YOU don’t get it!” Nerys bellows shocking us, I never heard her raising her voice, not even with team CRDL. “I am sick and tired of hiding because of something I never did! Your father wants to take me out because I have the means to ruin him? Well he can go fuck himself! He and YOU both! It’s been years since I last saw your siblings and when I finally saw Weiss I promised myself I would never leave her alone if I could, BECAUSE BROTHERS KNOW HOW YOU LEFT THEM BEHIND WITH THAT MONSTER!” She pauses, when she gets less flushed she continues, but calmer. “I wanted to say no, but Ozpin told me TODAY I was going to fight, so ‘I’m sorry’ if I couldn’t come up with a different answer, or that I wore that. But I was going to be outed one way or the other no matter what, so I wanted to have fun and entertain Weiss and my team, because I had a feeling you would have ruined that.”

After a stunned pause, my sister replies, _“I… Nerys, I know how… attached you were with my siblings, but haven’t you thought that Jacques would probably have people convince Ozpin to fire you?”_

My heart seems to stop, I look up at Nerys and as she walks closer to me she says, “Then I’m going to resign.”

We watch her shocked and we exclaim, “WHAT?”

After a beat Winter asks, _“I’m sorry but who’s with you?”_

“Beau, Zoie and Weiss. Say hi, everyone.” she closes her eyes, tired.

No one dares to do it.

We hear her sigh, then eventually she says, _“Well, I’m sorry you had to hear all that.”_

“And I’m not. If it weren’t for me Weiss would be left forever in the dark,” Nerys snaps, then she adds, “Well, for this thing. When do you plan to tell her ‘that’?”

I look at her confused and I ask, “What are you talking about?”

_“I’m coming to Beacon, soon, and we will talk then, Weiss. I promise.”_

Nerys frowns deeply but she doesn’t comment, so I say, “Alright, I’ll be patient.”

_“Thank you, sister.”_ we hear a new voice and then Winter sighs. _“Excuse me, but I have to go… For what it worth, I enjoyed watching your fight—”_

“Whatever. Just go, Specialist.” Nerys ends the conversation.

I look at her as she leans on the lockers, Beauregard lets loose Zoie and the blonde goes to hug the Faunus.

When they let go, Nerys says, “I’m sorry, Weiss, I should have been calmer…”

“You don’t have to apologize.” I hug her and she relaxes a little more. “Now excuse me, but I have a curfew… Ruby’s rules for the tournament.”

She chuckles and she leaves a kiss on my forehead. “That’s alright, I’ll see you tomorrow, Mausi.”

I smile at her and I wave at her team as I walk out the locker room.

"What took you so long? I managed to get Yang and Blake out for a while so we have the room for ourselves." Ruby jumps down her bed, I smile and I accept her hug.

We start to sway a little and as I lean my head on her shoulder I tell her, "I know. Sister called and... they fought over her exhibition." I sigh nuzzling in her neck. "I never heard her raise her voice like that."

"Wow, she must be furious."

I step back and I take her to my bed, taking off my boots I say, "She's still hurt and I can't blame her. If one of you turned your back on me for something I didn't do, well, I probably would react in a similar way."

We cuddle on my bed and Ruby replies, "But we won't do that, you are our best friend, without you there would be no team RWBY."

I raise an eyebrow and I ask, "Best friend?"

She blushes and almost shouts, "Girlfriend! I'm your girlfriend! And you're mine!"

I smile and I poke her side, she lets out a squeak and I giggle. "You're such a dolt."

She turns as red as her cape, if not more, so I take pity in her and I relax, she hugs me closer and after a few minutes of complete silence she asks, "Would you like to go on a date?" 

I smile and I nod. "Yes, that would be great."

"Then let's go! I have a place in my mind! Dress casually! " she speeds out of bed and then around the room before she locks herself in the bathroom. 

I whine feeling cold but I catch myself before Ruby hears me, I blush a little but I get up and I change into more comfortable clothes, when she walks out I turn to face her and I smile seeing her in a red hoodie and a pair of dark jeans with her boots, what catches my eye is the light makeup she put on… And her disgruntled face.

I frown and I ask, "Is it bad?"

"Are you kidding me? How do you manage to make me feel like a commoner even if we are dressed the same?! That's unfair!" she pouts and it makes me giggle, she smiles shyly and as she walks up to me she says, "Jokes aside, you're beautiful as always."

Heat fills my cheeks and I Iook away. "Thank you… But I still have to put makeup on…" 

Ruby shakes her head and says, "I don't think that's necessary, but if it makes you comfortable then ok, just don't take long, I don't know when that place closes."

I smile and I kiss her cheek as I go to the bathroom, when I step out she takes my hand and we go out.

(Nerys' point of view)

I sigh as I sip my tea while I look out of the window.

"Are you okay?" Zoie asks, walking to my side.

I frown and I shake my head. "It's just that… We talked once before and it went fine, we both were civil, more or less. But tonight I just… exploded. In front of Weiss, nonetheless, and I feel so bad."

She grabs my shoulders and turns me around to face her. "Hey, it's fine. Yeah, shouting in front of your kid might have been a little bad, but I think that she understands. What you are feeling is okay. You said you talked once and it went good? That's a great first step, but it doesn't fix everything. You hear me?"

I nod."Yeah, yes. I'm-" 

"Don't say sorry or I'll break your pinkies again."

I step back shielding my hands and frowning at her. "What's wrong with you? We were having a moment!" 

"You know she's not programmed to be soft, Nerys, so I would be more shocked that she approached you first, willingly. Normally we would have played rock-paper-scissors," Beau chimes up from the table in their living room.

"You what? Wait, I don't care." I finish my tea and I leave the cup on the tray.

"We did that with Robyn, too. Your Ice Queen-induced-crisis were kind of annoying after a while, sweetie, so we took turns." Zoie pats my back and then we walk back to Beau, she sits next to him while I sit across from them.

"Well, at least you have a little more time to calm down, trying to think of your situation and what you will do with Winter if you see each other. Tomorrow your kid is fighting, so go to sleep and wake up with a smile because if her sister is still a hardass she's going to critique Weiss' performance, little Schnee will need a shoulder to lean on."

I frown and I say, "I will be there for her if she wants me to… But wait, you call her she's my kid as if I'm her mother."

She shrugs her shoulders and replies, "With how her family was and still is, plus you and the Ice Queen basically raising her, I'm surprised she has never called you 'mom'."

I blush and Beau adds, "She's not wrong, and since you dated Winter…"

"That doesn't mean anything!” I say with a flaming face.

Zoie scoffs and replies, “Well, it doesn’t seem like it. What did you tell us, back in the day? Oh, right! ‘I’m gonna marry her and I will take them away from that haunted place!’ I don’t know about you but you seemed pretty much in love with Weiss and that little shit.”

“You take that back, he’s just… emotionally challenged. And a brat.” I glare at her, but she smirks.

“Anyone in that family is ‘emotionally challenged’, leaving the Jackass aside, he’s not a Schnee,” she remarks. 

I sigh heavily and then I say, "I have to go back to school. It would be much appreciated if you didn't blow your cover or something. I'll see you tomorrow for the first rounds."

I hug them but when I am close to Zoie I smell something different from her usual smell, stepping back I look at her for a moment but nothing seems off, I smile and then I walk out of their room.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DOUBLE UPDATE because I felt like that, and It's mostly filler, soooo... Here we go.  
> Enjoy =)
> 
> Oh, and if you see some mistakes please tell me, lately I am really tired so even if I re-read the chapters something may have escaped me

I wake up with a groan, my chest hurts a lot and it’s even worse as I sit up but at least my wrist isn’t a trouble anymore, I whine a little as I get up and then I start to change, slowly.

A few minutes later I hear knocking, I sigh as I go to open it. Surprisingly I am face to face with Glynda. “Hello?”

She smiles a little and says, “Your friends sent me, they told me you didn’t seem particularly well yesterday night.”

I let her in and, closing the door, I reply, “That was a hell of a fight…”

“Do you need help changing?” she looks at my pajama pants and half done shirt showing the purple bruise between my boobs.

I blush as I nod and I lead her to my room. “Thank you.” As she starts to help me I notice a weird look in her eyes. “Is something wrong?”

She sighs and after she’s done helping with my pants she searches for my shoes, meanwhile she tells me, “Remember when I told you that Ironwood called the elder Schnee?” I nod. “Well, she’s coming later today. With new soldiers. Both human and robot.” I frown and she pats my thigh. “I know, but we can’t show cracks now. I asked your friends to look at Black but they haven’t seen anything strange. So they looked up his friends and we found close to nothing, some theft from Miss Emerald Sustrai but with what we know of her background and comparing it to others that seemed like… expected. Their other friend we know only her name is Cinder Fall. Oh and their mute friend, Liquorice. Nothing.”

I finish dressing with her help and I say, “And all four are together in a team here in Beacon but we can’t do anything because they are ‘students’ coming from Haven or we are going to cause a diplomatic incident. We can’t trust them nor Lionheart.”

“Do you think he is part in their plan?”

“He must be, otherwise they wouldn’t have perfectly ‘normal’ lives in their records and you know how he is. I have to warn Weiss to keep her leader in check, she’s so friendly!” I say with an annoyed face.

Glynda sighs and nods. “You’re right.” I stand up with minimal help and she passes me my sword, I tie her around my hips and then we walk in the living room. “Before you go, let’s have some tea and take some painkillers, you’ll need them.”

I smile and I lead her in my kitchen.

I walk in the courtyard and I see a few teams playing around or simply relaxing, and eventually I find team RWBY under the shade of a tree, Weiss and Belladonna are reading under it while the sisters are on its branches trying to climb it, I smile amused and I snort when I hear a soft curse coming from the blonde and the reprimand from her sister.

“Hello professor.” I look down and I smile at Belladonna.

Weiss looks over her book surprised and she smiles as she scoots over giving me some space. “Good morning girls, how are you feeling?” I ask after I sit down.

“We are combat ready!” Rose lands in front of me and it makes me flinch so hard I feel a little pain in my chest and I groan.

“Professor?” Belladonna asks, concerned.

“Are you okay?” Weiss continues as I lean on her shoulder.

“I’m fine, but that hit was far from soft, my ribs are still sore,” I explain as I curl further around Weiss, she huffs as she closes her book.

“Do you want me to pet you?” she asks sarcastically.

I smirk and I meow as I rub my head on hers, Belladonna frowns but then she smiles amused going back to her book, Rose instead comes up to me and pats my head making me purr loudly.

“Wow, prof, painkillers really hit you hard,” Yang says finally coming down from the tree.

I chuckle and I reply, “Blondie, Glynda gave me enough to calm down and not blow up when I see the Ice Queen. So, a lot.” I frown and then I groan. “Today I’ll see Winter, oh joy.”

“My sister is coming?!” Weiss exclaims and I wince.

“Yes, _Mausi_ , but don’t shout in my ear. Though Winter wasn’t the reason I came here. Why did I? Oh, right. Don’t trust Black, Sustrai and the other two in their team. They are not trustworthy.”

I notice their looks and Blake asks, “Why?”

I take a few seconds and then I answer, “Their lives seem too normal. I’m worried, something’s brewing. Be cautious, will you, girls?” they nod and I sigh relieved. “I can’t ask you to stop, but I’ll help you whenever you need it. You may ask Weiss for my contact.” I sit up straight and I say, “Today will be long. I just know it.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to catch a break? Maybe a nap?” Yang asks me.

“I’m old but not that old, Xiao Long... and if I lie down I won’t get up and I really want to see you guys’ fight.” I stand with Ruby’s help and I turn around to face Weiss. “Just know that no matter how you do, I’m proud of how far you have come…” I look at the others and I continue, “You all have gotten better in different ways. Enjoy the Festival and teach Weiss how to have fun once in a while, not everything is business.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?!” Weiss asks standing up.

I grin and I step back. “Oh, the painkillers made me a little dizzy, what did I say? I can’t remember! Oh, well, see you guys in the arena!”

As she starts calling me back, I turn around and I jog away laughing.

I find my seat and I sigh as Zoie grabs a handful of my popcorn immediately. “Are you actually starving? Or is annoying me a sport?”

“Both,” she mumbles through her chewing and it makes me lean away in disgust, but at the same time I smell again that strange odour coming from her, she notices it and asks, “Is something wrong?”

I tilt my head in confusion and I say, lowly, “I- I’m not sure. I keep smelling something but I can’t put my finger on it. But I don’t think that’s bad.”

She shrugs her shoulders but as the first teams get on stage she gets a little green and she stands up abruptly. “I need to go to the bathroom.”

“I’ll help you. Beau, can you-?”

“I’ll keep your seats.” he tells us as he looks down at the stage.

I get up and I lead Zoie to the closest bathroom. When we reach it she runs to the closest stall and I barely manage to get her hair out of the way before she starts puking her guts out, I grimace at the smell but I hold on. Once she’s done I help her clean up.

“Are you okay?” I ask as I hug her, she nods. “Are you sure? That was… a lot.”

“It must have been something I ate…”

I take a deep breath in and I tense up as I suddenly have another taste of that smell. “Zoie, may I ask you something?”

“You just did, Kitty cat.”

I growl but then I ask, “Have you guys been trying for a baby?”

She tenses up and she steps back, looking up she asks, “Are you serious? I… Yes, but-”

I pat her cheek and I say, “Then today, you and I are going to buy some tests, because I know you and you have never gotten that sick for food… and I’ve seen you eat disgusting things.”

She smirks and says, “Fish is not disgusting, Kitten.”

I pout and as we walk out the bathrooms. “Let’s agree to disagree, Zoie. Come on, let’s get back to our seats.”

“Your kid is not going to fight for an hour or two, there’s no rush.” She chuckles.

“Yeah, but I want to make fun of the kids’ misadventures with you guys. Well, with you. Your fiance is boring.” she laughs and I smile as I place my arm around her shoulders.

When we get back to our seats Beau asks, “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, sorry. I think that I’m coming with a bug, baby.” she hugs his arm and she leans on his side while she pouts, he hugs her and murmurs something to her ear, I turn to look at the fight and I take a handful of popcorn.

When it’s time for team RWBY to step on the stage I notice the confidence in Weiss and Yang while Blake and Ruby seem a little uncomfortable under our scrutiny, when they look around I catch their eye and I smile nodding throwing a thumb up, they seem to relax a little and Weiss smiles at me bowing a little.

“Did you adopt them?” Beau asks me.

I sigh and I answer, “I don’t know, I don’t care. They are Weiss’ friends so they are mine too.”

“Yes, she adopted them,” Zoie replies, in response I kick her leg, she punches my shoulder and then we glare at each other.

“Okay, stop, kids…” he sighs. “I wonder how the teachers managed you when we weren’t there. Back in the Academy and now in Beacon.”

“Back then I had Winter keeping me away from most troubles. Here in Beacon, a crippling depression. Glynda can’t do everything.” I shrug my shoulders then I look back at the fight and I wince when the skateboarding kid falls on their butt. “Uuuuh, that must hurt.”

I watch on as they wave at the crowd, or in Weiss’ case she bows, just like I did. We stand up and as we walk to the docks I text Zoie to meet in the city in a pharmacy I know while they are boarding, I hear a squeal and I turn around in time to catch a red bullet flying in my arms, I chuckle as I hug Ruby. When the rest of her team reaches us I let her down. “Good job girls, that was a good fight.”

“Really?” Ruby asks, looking at me with shining eyes.

I smile and I nod. “Of course I can’t expect you to fight like grown hunters, but you are students and you watched me yesterday. I was far from perfect.” I walk up to Weiss and I hug her. “Good job, _Mausi_.”

“Thank you, Zari.”

I feel my scroll vibrating and I step back to check who it is, I smile and I say, “Alright, I have to do something in the city right now so I’ll see you later.” I wave at them and I jog away towards an isolated place.

I meet with her and we walk in the shop, a live stream of the fights in my scroll. “Are those your students?” Zoie asks as we watch team JNPR.

I smile and I nod. “Yep, and you should stay away from the ginger, Nora Valkyrie. Then there is Jaune Arc, in the beginning it was a mystery as to how he got into Beacon, but his partner and I whipped him up to shape. Now he’s a good student and fighter. Then we have the one and only Phyrra Nikos, she’s so lovely. And last but not least, Lie Ren, he doesn’t talk a lot but when he does he gets so deep.”

“Are they your favourite? After Weiss, obviously,” she asks with a smirk.

I chuckle and as we find what we are looking for I tell her, “Please, there’s another team that I love, team CFVY. Coco Adel and Velvet Scarlatina are a real power couple, and Daichi and Alistair are great. I wish they were still in my class, instead of team CRDL.”

Walking out she says, “The little pricks you fought?”

I nod, I hear an airship sailing over us and as I look up to curse at Irondick, but I freeze recognizing it. “Oh, fuck me.”

Zoie doesn’t follow my eyes and says, “Kind of out of the blue, but okay. I’ll call Beau to see if he wants to join.”

I bark a laugh and I clarify, “No, you idiot. I didn’t mean it that way…” I sigh and I face her. “Winter’s here.”

She looks at me, surprised and then she finds the airship. “Oh, yeah, good luck with that. I have to go back to my beau and have a talk with him. I’ll text you the results.” she hugs me and then she almost runs away from me.

I frown and I start walking back to school. _I’m not ready…_ I rub my face and I start to listen to some music from my scroll.

I reach the courtyard and I see Weiss running with Ruby towards the landing area, I smile catching up with them. “Nerys! I thought you would take longer, weren’t you in the city?” Weiss asks me.

“I was just coming back when you texted me. Do I really have to come greet her?” She pouts and I groan. “Rose, I’m failing you.”

“What! I didn’t do anything!” The student exclaims.

I glare at her and I say, “She never pouted at me. You must have taught her, Belladonna’s not the type and Xiao Long… I’m not sure, but she can’t be.” She pouts and I glare harder, then I feel my scroll vibrating. “Goodwitch’s calling me, you go ahead, I’ll catch up.”

Weiss seems to get a little sad, then she hardens her expression and says, “You will meet us later, I’ll hold you to that…”she blushes and after a look thrown at Rose she adds, “I would like to tell you both something, so please…”

I sigh and I nod. “Alright, now excuse me.” I walk away and I accept the call. “Do you know how much I love you?”

_“I have an idea, but why the sudden declaration?”_

I sigh and I say, “Special Operative Schnee just arrived.”

After a beat of silence I hear. _“Fuck. The Brothers are really cruel at times.”_

I frown and I ask, “Are you okay?”

_“Just… Ozpin and I are hiding any frail object in the school, we’ve heard news of a new guest coming…”_

I sigh rubbing my face. _Today’s not my lucky day._ “Tell me it’s not-”

_“It’s Qrow.”_

“Oh my FUCKING gods! Can’t we have a peaceful day?!” I exclaim and it scares off a few Mistralian students.

_“Please, calm down, now’s not the time. I know it’s a lot asking it, but could you please escort Qrow in Ozpin’s office?”_

I groan, but then I sigh. “Fine. If he dies along the way, I am not the one responsible.”

_“Fair enough. I’ll see you later.”_ She ends the call and I almost feel like throwing my scroll away.

I turn around and I walk towards the courtyard rubbing my temples, I feel a headache coming.


	16. Not Enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I walked away and left you bleeding  
> As I kicked the mud off my feet.  
> Lay on the ground and watched you leaving,  
> My heart fights for every beat.  
> Try to understand  
> It's harder to apologize  
> When all committed crimes,  
> They're just in our minds.
> 
> -Delain, Not Enough

I reach the courtyard and a crowd has formed around someone, a few robots are destroyed and I feel a little satisfaction blossoming in my chest, but then I hear a drunken voice. “Right, listen to big sister, Weiss, she will protect you just like Atlas is gonna protect all of us, huh?”

Then a painfully familiar voice growls out, “If you won’t hold your tongue, then I will gladly remove it for you!”

“Alright then, come take it.”

I hear the familiar sound of a sword detaching from a magnetic belt.  _ Of course he taunts her. _ I turn to my right and I see the Specialist’ preparing to jump on the ever-drunk hunter. I frown as she uses her glyph to propel herself forward, immediately I use my aura to jump to Qrow and I punch him in the face to push him away as I unsheath my sword to deflect hers.

She freezes looking surprised in my glaring eyes and for a moment I am lost in her blue eyes. Damnit, she’s still as beautiful as I remembered her.

We snap out of it when I hear a groan, I turn around to glare at Qrow and I ask, “What the fuck is wrong with you? Taunting her to have the higher moral ground?” I face Winter and with a colder tone I say, “And you…” she stands straight and I sigh. “I don’t know how you manage to disappoint me even after three years.” that surprises her and she deflates a little.

“Why, hello, Kitten. Are you the welcoming party? Shouldn’t you be more gentle with your guests?” he asks.

I grab him but the neck and I pull him to my face. “Say something else and your own sword will find a place in your throat. I still haven’t forgiven you.” I push him back, I look around and I see the Atlasian students standing rigid, the Beacon ones are curious, the Mistralians are scared while the Vacuoan are placing bets. “Everyone, there is a sanctioned fight happening just around the corner at the colosseum that I can assure you it has better seats and popcorn. Now scatter.” they run or walk away with minimal grumbling, the only two that are approaching us are Rose and Weiss. “Let’s go to Ozpin.” I turn around and I start walking.

“Nerys?” I hear Weiss, I sigh and I let her catch up, she looks at us and she asks, “What’s going on? And why do you know... him?”

Rubbing my temples, I tell her, “Right now we have to go to Ozpin, I’ll explain later, okay?” She nods, unhappy, but she recognizes that it’s not the time. I rub her shoulder as I walk past her and I check on Qrow, he’s talking to Ruby and it makes me frown. “Qrow!” he jumps and I tell him, “You both have to come.” he sighs telling something to my student and eventually he catches up.

“So, how are you two doing?” he asks, he reeks of alcohol and it makes me shy away from him, closer to Winter.

“Don’t even bother and it’s not like you ever cared,” I reply.

“Oh, come on. I didn’t know that the Ice Queen was taken.” he smirks and I am tempted to punch him again.

“It’s Specialist Schnee,” she interjects, glaring at him.

“Whatever.” he takes his flask and takes a sip.

I stay between them, silently counting to ten thousand backwards and ignoring their bickering.  _ Brothers, kill me now, what did I do to you? _

We get in Ozpin’s office and I sigh relieved as I walk to Glynda, I lean on her and I whisper, “Tell me you have some alcohol in here.”

“I believe Mister Branwen has enough for you both.” I scowl at the suggestion and I look at Ozpin.

He takes a moment and then he asks, “Did something happen on the way here, Professor Mazarin?”

I notice a glare from Winter but I ignore her answering, “I took Glynda’s call and when she was done I went to gather Branwen. Thing is, I saw a few UNNECESSARY Knights destroyed on the ground and I believe that he was taunting Specialist Schnee. I had to step in before they destroyed the yard.”

“Yeah, by punching my face.”

I snarl and I reply, “I only tried to fix it.”

We glare at each other but Ironwood says, “Qrow, if you were one of my men, I would have you shot.”

“And if I was one of your men I would shoot myself.” I actually smirk at that and Ironwood doesn’t appreciate it, I can see it by the crease in his brow so I return to scowling at the drunkard.

Glynda sighs and says, “While I wouldn’t condone his behavior, retaliating like you would have done, it wouldn’t have helped our situation.”

“He was drunk!”

“He’s always drunk, Winter!” I clip back at her and we all look at him as he drinks from his flask. “Honestly, why did I ever like you in the first place?” I mumble as I walk to the windows, from the reflection I see a confused and surprised look in Winter’s eyes before she focuses on Ozpin.

As he sits down he asks, “Qrow, why are you here?”

“You’ve been out of contact for weeks! You can't just go dark like that in the field!” Ironwood exclaims.

“I’m not one of your Special Operatives,  _ Jimmy _ ,” Qrow replies.

“General.” Without even looking I know Winter is looking pissed off at Branwen.

“Whatever. You sent me to get intel on our enemy, and I'm telling  _ you _ , our enemy is here.”

“We know,” I mumble. They turn to me.

“Oh! Oh, you know! Well, thank goodness I'm out there risking my life to keep you all informed!”

I sigh and I turn around to tell him, “In my defence, I didn’t know you were one of his spies. And we have an idea as to who they are, but we can’t do anything without creating a mess that will have Grimm invading Beacon, okay?”

Qrow scowls and replies, “Yeah, a diplomatic incident would really be the end of the world, yeah? He still accepted you to teach here with open arms, didn’t he? And you were in the most wanted list of all Atlas!” I step back surprised while he takes his scroll going on in his tirade “And they could have still kept me in the loop by using this! A scroll and this is the Send button.”

This time Winter steps in and says, “They had reason to assume you'd been compromised.”

“And I have reason to assume you don't need to be here. Seriously, who invited her?”

I glare at him and I step forward to say something but Ironwood says, “Schnee, we'll discuss this incident back at my ship.”

“But sir!”

He looks at her and orders. “Winter. Leave.”

After a moment she salutes him and walks to the elevator. “Nerys, I suppose you can go, too. We are going to discuss things you already know.” I nod at Ozpin and I follow Winter in the elevator, once the doors close I push the bottom button and we stare in front of us.

As we descend she breaks the silence. “Thank you.”

I raise an eyebrow and I ask, “What for?”

“For not going into detail about that lapse of judgement. It would have been worse otherwise.”

I frown and I say, “Yeah, well, between you two I still have to pick a bone with Qrow. But it seems that it won’t be enough to cause him trouble.”

“Is that still for- for when he tried to hit on me?” I hear her confusion loud and clear and her eyes on me but I still won’t turn around.

“Maybe.” The doors open, I read the hour on a clock nearby and I sigh. “It’s gotten late. I suppose I’ll see you tomorrow. Weiss needs to tell us something and doesn’t want to repeat herself. Good luck with Irondick, Winter.” I start walking without waiting for her, a smirk on my lips.

The following day I wake up in a sour mood, but at least I get to see the double rounds with Weiss and her friends.

Quickly my mood gets even worse as I see who ends up with Adel and Daichi, that really causes a storm in the group chat with my teammates. Poor Robyn, she doesn’t understand what’s going on here, so Beau gets to call her to update her.

Watching my students lose against those probable-criminals really gets me in a bad mood, but Weiss is adamant in taking me to talk with Winter so I simply hug Scarlatina and I ask them to say something from me to their teammates.

As we walk to the meeting place to see her, I ask Weiss if she’s excited for the double rounds.

“Of course I am, it’s my first time and they are going to let me and Yang fight for Beacon!” I smile at her enthusiasm and I hug her to my side.

“I’m so proud of you.” she looks up at me and I kiss her forehead, we reach the private garden and I see Winter, I breathe in trying to calm myself and then I mumble, “Alright, here we go. Good luck to me…”

She slaps my stomach and replies, “Come on, you didn’t kill each other yesterday. And I’ll be there. You can do it.”

I sigh, but I nod as I follow her to the table where we greet each other… cordially.

I notice the tapping as she sips her tea, so I ask, “How was your meeting with ‘the General’.”

She frowns at my mocking tone but then she sighs. “He was… understanding. But it could have been better if I didn’t retaliate in the first place.” She looks at her tea and then she adds. “I’m leaving later today.”

_ Okay, I didn’t expect that. _ “You’re leaving? Already?” Weiss asks and it’s heart wrenching for me seeing her sad eyes.

Winter sets her cup down and says, “Yes. I was merely needed to oversee the transport of additional units to Vale. Our last shipment was lost to an ambush. I believe you had a run-in with its cargo, actually. It's fortunate those Paladins were in the prototype stage; otherwise your team may not have fared so well.” I glare at her after I see the sad look in Weiss's eyes intensify, and she sees it, so she grabs her hand and continues, “Weiss, you've done... well, out here, on your own. You should be proud. I'll be honest, it was quite amusing seeing Father's face the day you left for Beacon!” Weiss perks up at that, I smirk as I raise the tea cup to take a sip.

“I can’t wait to show him what I’ve learned!”

I wince and I pick a croissant to nibble on it. Winter meanwhile asks, “Oh, really? Then what do you think you've learned?”

“I really hope you are not going to tell him what happens in my lessons.”

The older Schnee looks at me for the first time and asks, “Should I worry about that?”

I shrug my shoulders. “I mean. Only Port and I trap Grimm and take them to our classes so they can practice.”

“You do what! Are you insane?!” She exclaims.

I frown and I reply, “Well, in our classes, theory is not all. They need all the practice they can get before they get thrown in a world where it doesn’t matter the body measurements of an Ursa! It’s not like we are going to tailor some clothes for them!”

We glare at each other, so Weiss decides to chime in. “I'm getting better and better with my glyphs! I've even started Time Dilation!”

We focus back on her and I tilt my head. “It’s the one you used to help Blake against those missiles, right?”

Weiss nods, happily, but then she notices the focused gaze on her sister who asks, “And what of your Summoning?”

Weiss deflates and I place my arm around her shoulders, ignoring Winter. “I… You know I can’t.”

“Don't be ridiculous. Every Schnee has the ability to summon. We have for generations.”

I face her and I am going to clip back at her but Weiss says, “I've tried! It's just... it's the  _ one _ thing I've been having trouble with!”

I rub her shoulder while I wait for Winter’s response. “We Schnees are unique. Unlike many, our Semblance is hereditary. But that doesn't mean it will come easily. Your Semblance is like a muscle.” She lifts her hand and I watch curiously at the Glyph.

Everytime it gets me, it’s so nice to look at, I remember the many times I got shouted at when I was found watching Willow teaching Winter in the garden. _ Those were good times. _

“The more you practice with it, the stronger it will become. But if you only focus on one aspect of it…” She lets it expand and it blinds me for a few seconds, I hear a growl and when I look back at Winter I see the Beowulf she summoned. “If you fail to test the limits of what you think is possible, then you'll never truly grow.“

After a few peaceful seconds where we admire the beast, I sigh. “I apologize for being the bearer of bad news. But you promised you would talk, Winter, about THAT thing, and you said that you don’t have much time left here in Vale.”

Weiss sits straight and asks quite timidly, “Right. But first, can I tell you something?”

We face her and I nod, smiling, her sister instead says, “Of course, what is it?”

Weiss fidgets a little in her seat but then she says, “So, you met Ruby, earlier and you obviously know her, Nerys. And well, we… she’s my girlfriend.”

Winter leans back a little surprised while I chuckle. “That’s not surprising. For me that is. I’m happy for you two. But she hurts you and I’ll break every bone in her small body.”

“We may disagree on some things, but I… I agree with the sentiment,” Winter says with a small smile of her own. “As long as you are happy I won’t stand in the way when I’m with you.”

Weiss relaxes a little bit and then she looks at us. “Thank you. So, what do you need to tell me? Is that the reason why you can’t stand to be in the same space?”

Winter rubs her temples and mumbles, “I really can’t escape it, can I?”

“Nope, and we owe her that much. So spill it,” I reply, sipping on my tea.

The soldier stands up and starts pacing. “I… it was…” She sits back on her chair and says, “Nerys and I… we used to date.”

Weiss tenses up and then she looks at us in turns, after a few seconds she asks, “You were together? But…” she looks at me and says, “You said that… your girlfriend believed father-” She turns to face Winter and she asks, “Is it true?”

Winter looks away and she answers, “It wasn’t my brightest moment.”

“On that we can agree.”

We glare at each other but Weiss asks, “So what made you change your mind?”

The elder Schnee looks down on her hands and then at her sister. “When I first heard of her whereabouts I tried to contact you to tell you to stay away from each other, at least when you are in public. But after a while I heard a pair of soldiers arguing about her supposed guilt. One of them was so sure that she was behind that plot and for a moment I was too, I admit that. But the other replied that there was nothing that could incriminate her. And he was right. Any newspaper I’ve found, the reports I’ve read, there was nothing that could incriminate her and any lead there was, was a dead end. So I decided to atone for my mistake.”

She looks at me for the first time and I see the regret, but it isn’t enough. “You tried, that I can acknowledge. And it’s nice to know that you managed to get over it. But I am still- I am still hurt.”

“Nerys-”   
“No, Winter.” I look away and I feel a familiar uncomfortable warmth in my chest wrapping around my heart and gradually tightening its hold. “I loved you, way more than I should have, seeing the outcome, and you turned your back on me. You were stalling me in your apartment and you almost got me arrested thanks to that.”

“You did what?” Weiss asks, surprised.

“I-”

I raise a hand, effectively silencing her, despite her glare. “Save it, what’s done is done and we can’t change that. I’m still hurt beyond reason not only for that, but also because you drove me away from the only family I had, and that is the worst thing you could have ever done and I am not ready to forgive you for that.”

“Then why are we still here discussing if my apologies are pointless!” she exclaims, standing up.

I mirror her and I answer, “They are not pointless, but they are going to be if this is the only 

effort you are capable to put in! You can’t expect that you say ‘Sorry’ twice and everything goes back to normal!”

“Then what do you want?! Do you want to see me on my knees, begging for forgiveness?!”

A growl escapes my throat as I step closer to her, seeing red. “What I want is to not have to be here in the first place in this exact situation! I was going to propose, Winter! Before your fucking father decided that I was going to be a threat for him, I asked your mother for her blessing and then I bought a ring! So no, I don’t want to see you on your knees. I want to fucking go back in time and at least have given the military a concrete reason to want to arrest me!”

The sisters look at me surprised while I take a few deep breaths counting to ten backwards, then Winter asks, “You wanted to… propose to me?”

“Is that the only thing you got?” I reply as I finish my tea, then I place down the cup a little harder than intended.

“I… I…” for a moment it’s like I have the old Winter in front of me, confused as hell and with her guard down, but it’s not enough to make me forgive her. Will it ever be?

“Honestly, the only reason I am here right now is because Weiss asked me to. Just now I have shown both of you why I couldn’t meet you yet.” I look at the young Schnee and I hug her. “I’m sorry…” I whisper in her ear, I stand back up straight and I turn to look at Winter, then away. “I… I am glad to have seen you, really. But I have to go. This is...too much.”

She stands straight and looking the other way she says, “I understand… I’m sorry.”

“Me too, Winter. Me too.” I turn around and I walk away.

“Well that was a hell of a ride. How are you feeling?” Zoie asks patting my back and I whine.

“I hope this at least cheers you up.” Beau sits behind me on their bed and I turn around curious, he has a pregnancy test in his hand, I sit up and I take it.

Zoie hugs me and perches her head on my shoulder. “Guess who’s going to become an auntie in nine months?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to think that the song says what is going in Winter's head, I can see the fight reading the second verse.  
> Obviously not everything fits with their situation, but the major parts do. It's complicated, but I think that it fits Winter's interior fight.


End file.
